Good bench: 210 x 6

So I am starting to think that this arm training actually might have some serious merit haha. This is the second really solid bench day I have had in a row, since starting the arm training. Maybe it's just coincidence - it is VERY early on - but still, it's certainly not a bad sign haha.

A true man

Started with 5/3/1 bench. Warmed up, hit the bar, then 95, then 135. Then work sets, 160 x 5 and 185 x 5 all felt really solid. Just like the other day, I focused on tight arch, setting up with the bar over my chin  (closer to my chest than before), and controlling the weight down/exploding it up with a focus on using my muscles, and I felt really solid. Loaded up 210 and went after it, hitting it for a really solid set of 6. That's not crazy or anything, but it ties my PR at this weight, and it was much more solid/easy than last time, when I barely eeked out the 6th rep. A 7th rep was questionable - maybe I would have gotten it, but obviously I wasn't SO confident because I didn't go for it - but the 6 was definitely a lot better than last time. Afterwards, backed off to 185 and hit it for a 3 x 3 with limited rest and a long pause on a few reps, which felt very good.

Next, rear delt flyes. Did 3 sets of 18 with the 10 lb dumbells without much rest.

Next, strict press also went very well. Still focusing on being a) stricter with my hips, and b) focusing on using my muscles to move the weight explosively. Hit the bar and 115, then went to 155. First set was great. I was really strict, I could REALLY feel that I was using my shoulders, and I got a very solid 8 reps - tried for a 9th and failed. I probably shouldn't have, but I kind of forgot that I was still trying to focus on getting back to a 3 x 8 haha. Rested a bunch, then hit it again. Sets 2 and 3 were a little shittier - just a tiny bit less strict, I didn't feel myself using my muscles as well, and the bar got out in front a little more often. I hit a set of 8 on the second set, and then a set of 7 - just barely couldn't lock out 8. Still, not bad! much better than the last couple weeks, and I am definitely doing them more strict than before. I just need to keep focusing on driving up with my shoulders, and keeping my hips squeezed tight and forward, and hopefully I will be able to break the plateau of 3 x 8 at this weight.

Finally, used the cables. Lat pulled 130 for a heavyish set of 20, and then cable rowed 150 for a heavy set of 20, and called it a day.

Overall, a pretty kickass day. Tied my bench PR at 210 easily, I'm getting VERY close to breaking this press plateau with much stricter form, and I am really starting to feel how to use my muscles better when pressing instead of being so robotic about it - a change that I think might help me a lot in getting my bench up. I'm excited to train arms tomorrow! It seems promising thus far... lets keep at it.

Rough day: Squat 325 x 5

Today was a plain and simple bad day. Lots of potential reasons for it - I'm a little sick, I didn't sleep great last night, I'm stressed due to finals, I didn't eat enough yesterday, I sat down and wrote a ten page paper yesterday, had to train 3 hours later than normal today, blah blah blah. Could be any or all of these things. Or it could have just been a bad day. Either way, still managed to have a decent workout, which is good.

Started with 5/3/1 squat. Hit the bar, then 125 for 10, 6. This was pretty much the only set that felt okay. Went up to 205 and didn't feel great, so I decided to only do a set of 5 at this weight, which felt pretty heavy and shitty - it's kind of a chicken-and-egg question as to whether I didn't do 10 because I was already feeling like shit, or maybe the rest of my workout felt shittier cause I didn't do my normal 10 reps at this weight. I'm going to guess the former, but I think I will stick to my normal 10 rep set from now on. Went to my first work set next, 245 x 5, which felt pretty crappy. 285 x 5 was next. Felt a little bit tighter for this one, weight didn't feel quite so heavy, but my torso wasn't staying as upright as I would like. Still felt bad, but at the same time 5 at this weight isn't very tough anymore. Finally, went up to 325. I was planning on only doing 5 reps at this weight, no matter what - last week (especially monday) was tough, and I felt the effects on thursday, so I figured I would take it a little easier today. Good thing too, or I probably would have been very frustrated if I had wanted a PR. The 5 reps I did were very solid. Not super fast, definitely didn't feel great, torso maybe came forward a bit more than I wanted, but I can't complain. If I am being honest, I might have had a 6th rep in me. Perhaps, if I was 100% focused and just in a better mental state, it would have been a better set. But it was a tough, but solid 5. Nothing special, but not too shabby for a pretty rough day.

Speed deadlifts were definitely the best part of my workout today. 12 x 1 from a 2-plate deficit, on the minute, at 295. These moved really fast and nice today. A couple reps were maybe a little further out than ideal, but at this weight even those moved crazy fast. The deficit setup takes getting used to, but I am still setting up fast, pulling fast, using a great combination of legs, hips and back, and a great combination of brute strength and technique. I can't wait to pull heavy on thursday.

Snatch deads were a little rougher. They just didn't feel that great today. I was relying a little more on my back than was ideal, and my hands were having a lot of trouble holding on - maybe just cause I was feeling shitty, maybe cause I'm not used to the bars being the right thickness haha. Anyways, pulled 125 x 3, 205 x 3, 265 x 3, 305 x 3, and then finally 345 x 3. I tried to break it from the ground on the first rep and it didn;t really go anywhere, but instead of re-setting and whatnot I just went again right away, loaded up my back and pulled it for the triple. It was a pretty hard 3, not even close to "significantly" easier than my last triple at 345. However, considering it was a decidedly shitty day, that is okay. Hopefully next week I will be feeling better, and I can grind out 365 for a triple. I'm gonna have to be liberal with the tape and the chalk, but I think I can do it.

Huge deadlift back 

Overall, felt bad today but managed to hit all the sets and reps I needed to, which is great. It's a tough time of year - I am starting to burn out from my programming drawing to an end, school is stressful and unavoidable, and I simply can't put quite as much energy into lifting as I would like to. However, the solution is simple - don't get frustrated. Accept that every workout won't be a PR one, and plan to take some of them easier. Accept bad days, and just do your best to have the best training session you can. Remember that, no matter how shitty you feel or perform on any one day, you are making progress and after the stress, the sickness, and the little bit of overtraining are gone and you have rested up for a few days, you are going to SMASH some PR's in this mock meet. SO, lets hope tomorrow and the rest of the week go a little better than today... but no matter what, lets keep at it.

You may take my strength, but you'll never take my squat day 

Arms day 2

Second arms day of the week today. A little slow to start, but overall it went well.

Started with some close grip, feet up bench. Hit the bar and 95 to warm up, then went to 135 and started benching on the minute: hit 135 x 5, 145 x 5, 155 x 5, then back down to 145 x 5, and finally 135 x 8.

Next, did some preacher curls with the curl bar. Hit a warmup with the bar, then hit a pair of 10's for a set of 10, then 2 pairs of 10's for a set of 5, then back down for another set of 10, again on the minute.

Next, grabbed some 20 lb dumbells and supersetted curls and lying tricep extensions for 3 sets.

Finally, did a hight rep finisher for both muscles - a set of 50 tricep pushdowns, and then a set of 50 preacher curls with 12.5 dumbells. I actually didn't like this high rep stuff at all as a finisher. It made me feel tired and jelly-like, but didn't give me much of a pump. I think it would be better to have done something for less reps - probably another superset.

Also, at the end of my workout I was going to do some flexing and inspire myself with how huge I looked.... when a kid I know with 20 inch arms walked in and I felt very ashamed haha. I'm glad that happened though haha. Need to remember that I have a lottttttt of work to do. Lets keep at it.

Bench 205 for 3 x 6

Today was a really good upper body day. I tried to focus really hard on moving the weight with my muscles, instead of just firing as fast as I could, if that makes sense. Along with this new arm training, I am thinking that maybe if I develop my "mind muscle connection," and work on FEELING myself benching/pressing the weight, that might improve my benching as well. It went well today. 

Started with bench. Hit the bar, then 95, then 135, then 185 x 3, all the time focusing on using my muscles to bench. I was focusing on a lot of little things - setting up in a really tight arch, setting up a little further back on the bench so the unrack was easier, lowering the bar a little bit higher on my chest, so that my elbows were a tiny bit less tucked, and trying to use my muscles a little better, lowering the weight a little slower/more controlled, and really PRESSING it up. Felt really good, so I went up to 205 and went after it. First set of 6 was tough - I think I was a little bit off in my setup, and perhaps I was lowering it a little TOO slowly. However, the second set was great! I found the groove, and hit a really solid 6, and then the third set, while harder than the second, was solid too. I was really happy with this. 6 is my PR at 205, so hitting it for 3 sets of that is great! Maybe it was just a good day, maybe it was the new, MUCH better bar I was using, or maybe this arm stuff is actually starting to work! Either way, I'm glad it was good. 

Next, pressing went well too. Hit the bar and 95 for warmups, then 145 x 5, and 160 x 3. Again, I tried to focus on keeping these reallyy strict, as well as using my muscles to PRESS instead of just my nerves haha. Loaded up 180 and hit it for a very solid double, but I struggled just enough with the second rep that I didn't think I had a third in me. Still, that's very good! Dropped back to 160 and hit it for a solid 5 without tooo much rest and then hit 145 for 8. This felt really good and solid. Kept the reps super strict and focusing on using my muscles to press felt good. I just need to work on making the concentric portion of the rep on both bench and press faster and more explosive. Right now, I know how to fire my nerves fast, but I am not properly using my muscles when I do so I think. So, I need to keep focusing on pressing with my muscles, but also focus on moving the weight fast. 

Finally, did a slew of lighter bodybuilding movements for a lot of reps. Started with 20 lb dumbells and without putting them down, did 15 curls, 15 shoulder presses, 12 tricep extensions, 12 front lateral raises, and then 12 more curls. Then, after some rest, grabbed 15 lb dumbells and did 10 curls/10 extensions for 3 rounds as fast as I could. Rested a little more, then curled some 10's for 50 reps, then went upstairs and did 3 x 20 lat pulldowns with 100 lbs. The idea is to keep this stuff lighter, just try and get a nice little pump without taxing myself too much. Then, tomorrow, I will go hard on arms again. 

So overall, great day. Continuing to feel out/experiment with bench and press, and it seems like I'm finding some stuff that works! Also, continuing to work on my arms. Can't wait to growww them huge and start smashing some big weight. Lets keep at it! 

Squat 335 x 6

Today was a very decent day. Definitely a little tired out from mondays record-breaking workout.... but had a great session nonetheless.

Started with squats. Hit the bar x 10, then 125 x 10, 6, then 205 x 9 with a nice long pause on the last rep. Loaded up 265 and hit it for 4, and it didn't feel too great - first sign that maybe there was some lingering fatigue from monday. Loaded up 305 and hit it for a double, same deal. Not bad reps and not too hard, but it just felt tougher than a good day would have. A little slower out of the bottom, and I hit the sticking part a little harder than normal. But, I loaded up 335 and went after it. Again, first rep wasn't nearly as fast as it might have been on a great day, but the first three were still solid. Hit a nasty sticking point on rep 4, but I made it through, got the 5th rep, and then took some big breaths and hit 6. IT wasn't as pretty as it could have been, and it moved mighty slow, but I got it. 6 reps at that weight is a solid PR, and I will most certainly take that, especially on a day when I wasn't 100%.

Next up were front squats. Again, didn't have much pop out of the bottom and I was hitting sticking points pretty hard at times. hit 215 x 3 and 240 x 2, then 265 for 3 triples. The first rep and the second were solid, but not easy. At no point did I think I might fail either rep, but as my friend Arron said "those look like they hurt"haha. However, for whatever reason the third one was much smoother and easier than the first two. Maybe I just found the groove, but it was fast and smooth, and I stayed more upright than on the first two. Pretty good stuff.

Finally, Deadlifting went really well too. Threw 265 on the ground, pulled it for a quick triple and then a single. Went straight to 365 and nailed it for a single, then threw on 415 and hit it for 3 great singles with a good bit of rest between them. They weren't especially fast or easy, but they were very solid, my back was nice and flat, so that's all very good.

Overall it was a good day. Didn't feel great, but I still managed a great workout, so that's pretty awesome. Hopefully tomorrow will be solid as well. Lets keep at it.

Running and Arms 1

Today was a good ass, fun day

Started with running. I decided that, over the summer, I am going to program my running with time, rather than distance or whatever. My main goal with running is to keep fat down, and keep work capacity up, so I think increasing the time that my heart rate is elevated, rather than trying to run faster or farther, makes the most sense. Anyways, walked for 2 mins, then ran for 8 today, at about 5mph - pretty slow, but I'm going to keep the 8 mins and up the speed a tiny bit for the next couple weeks, till I'm home. Overall, breathing and endurance at that speed feels great.

Then, I moved on to arms training. As mentioned before, I have always done some light arms work on wednesdays, but now in an attempt to both look awesome AND start making real progress on my bench, I am goign to start SERIOUSLY training arms Wed and Saturday, with some lighter bodybuilding stuff on friday, and a normal push/pull upper body workout tuesday and friday. So, today I worked the arms hard. Started with dumbell curls. Hit a warm up with 10's, then grabbed 27.5's and curled them for 18, 12, and 10 reps with limited rest. Switched to a dumbell extension, a sort of slower and more controlled rolling tricep extension. Hit a warmup, then the 27.5's for 13, 9, and 6 reps. These were harder than I thought they would be, but they completely blew up my triceps. After a short rest, I ended with a superset of straight bar curls/military press with 65 lbs, again limiting rest. These were pretty good - I felt like the curls were maybe a bit too heavy, as it was hard to be as strict as I wanted and REALLY focus on squeezing the biceps. In contrast, I think the presses were too light - they HURT like a motherfucker, but I don't feel like I came close enough to failiure. So maybe next time, I will try and set up 2 bars, or do straight bar curls to start and superset the dumbell curls or something. I don't know exactly, but I have a LOT of workouts to play around with movements haha. And I do know that I felt and looked huge at the end of the workout, so that's good.

I am GOING to make my arms grow a TON in the next year, and finally get my bench to a respectable number. Not good, but respectable haha. Lets keep at it, embrace the pain, and find the path to greatness.

Bench 230 x 2

I'm feeling a little frustrated today, but I will vent at the end.

Started with 5/3/1 bench. A bunch of friends were in the gym today, so I was a little less focused than I should have been. Also, I was feeling very tight, especially in my back, from yesterdays workout. Anyways, warmed up, hit the bar, then 95, then 135 x 10. Focused on squeezing the shit out of the bar today. Kind of felt good, but it kind of made doing reps harder too haha. That might be a cue that serves better when trying to max out. Anyways, went up to 185 and hit it for a solid 5, then 205 for a solid 3. Both sets were good, but I definitely wasn't feeling great. I loaded up 230 and went to press it, but set up to low on the bench and couldn't unrack it easy, so I took a minute so re-set and then hit it for a very solid double. First rep was smooth and pretty fast, second was harder but still solid. I felt pretty confident I wouldn't get a third though, so I didn't try for it. After, dropped back to 205 and hit it for 3 singles with a 3-5 second pause at the bottom. These moves easy and fast.

Next, did 3 x 12 rear-delt flyes with 12.5 dumbells.

Next, strict press. Hit the bar, then 115, then went after 155. Focus was on squeezing the hips a little forward from the start, in order to be very strict with my reps and press in a straight line. It went pretty well considering the change. I hit a set of 8, then a set of 7, then a set of 6 where I BARELY failed the 7th rep. I also was moving perhaps a little faster than usual on these, because I was slow in the beginning of the workout. Overall, weight moved well, although on a few reps I DEFINITELY felt the weight get out in front, which may have definitely contributed to the fatigue. I need to focus on driving the weight straight up.

Finally, I decided that doing kipped pullups is stupid and a waste of my time. So instead, I did 3 x 20 lat pulldowns with little rest, at around 110 lbs. got a good pump.

So overall, not a terrible day, although I am frustrated. Clearly I am progressing on bench, because I don;t think I could have doubled 230 at any other point in my lifting career - but progress is just SO slow. I was hoping to triple this weight, and hopefully triple 235 next cycle. Going from 235 x 1 to 235 x 3 would be solid progress, but going to 230 x 2 or MAYBE 235 x 2 just isn't as good as I had hoped for. It's just frustrating to have tried SO many things - 5/3/1, speed work, rotating exercises, heavy chaos + pain style stuff, and now this higher volume stuff - and STILL be making such slow progress. Plus, it doesn't help that I have sort of hit a wall with the strict press stuff, and now THAT doesn't seem to want to move either. However, progress is still progress, and If I can keep putting 25 lbs on my bench each year, even though that SEEMS like shit... well in 10 years my bench will be right where it needs to be haha. PLUS, I am really going to give this new arm training element to my programming my all. I definitely have tried a LOT of different things to get my press up, but this is something new that I think may really help. At the very least, even if it doesn't help at all I will still make the VERY slow progress I am making now, and end up with some big ass arms on top of it. And If I am lucky, the more I train my arms and the bigger the get, the more and more it will add to my progress. Just another 25-50% on my gains would be SO inspiring, and help to catch my bench up to my other lifts, which I have been very happy with.

Anyways, enough ranting. Going to simply keep at the bench training, and REALLY throw myself into this arms work. I think it has the potential to FINALLY change the benching game for me - if I work my ass off. So lets rest up tonight, and get ready to kick some ass tomorrow. We are gonna keep at it, till the bench is 500.

Some Thoughts

1) I don't know exactly what I am going to do this summer for lifting. My basic idea is: I have spent this whole school year eating a shitload, getting big and getting strong. I think it would be prudent to focus more on upping my work capacity and getting in really good shape this summer, with much more moderate strength goals (i.e. add 10-20 lbs to each lift, instead of 30 +), THEN when I come back to school in the fall and I start eating and lifting heavy again, I will be primed to make huge strength gains. Problem is, I'm not sure how to do it. I think I am going to program wednesday's runs, instead of just doing whatever I want to. That alone should help. But I also am thinking of making some changes to my lifting - doing some much higher-rep work, with more moderate weights, in order to up my work capacity, give myself a mental break, burn some fat, maybe even put on some muscle mass while doing so... but I'm not sure exactly what to change. My programming has been working really great, so I am tentative. But some ideas. a) Keeping 5/3/1 for sure, but maybe only doing the prescribed reps, to keep the emphasis off of crushing heavy weight. b) upping the reps on the snatch grip deadlifts. c) More emphasis on back work, less on pressing. d) Changing thursdays squats to be much higher rep - I could do some 15-25 rep squats, or I could do an over-warm up, and then some back off sets in the 8-12 rep range. Have a lot of ideas for this last point, and I'm really not sure if any of them are good haha. But I'll keep thinking about it and try to make some smart choices as the mock meet approaches.

2) I am going to start doing way more arms work, for a number of reasons. Basically, my bench is still my weakest lift. And if there is one thing that will certainly help, it's having some fucking huge arms. add that to the fact that EVERY dude wants fucking huge arms, and it just makes sense to train the shit out of them. I am always tentative to do so, because I don't want to hurt my pressing workouts, but honestly all the emphasis on the pressing clearly isn't working THAT well. So the plan is - train pressing and pulling as usual tuesday, then run and REALLY train my arms on wednesday. No more dicking around, I want some serious focus. Then friday is a pressing workout, with some moderate bodybuilding stuff at the end - arms, back, whatever - and then saturday I am going to train arms again, along with light oly lifting or whatever. I'm gonna be sore as a motherfucker for a while,  but if I am hitting my arms 3-4 times a week, they will fucking GROW, and once they start growing I am going to look better, and I am going to finally start making some serious progress on my bench.

That's whats on my mind. Let keep at it.

Huge PR: Squat 350 x 5

Today was a great day with a huge PR on the squat.

Started with 5/3/1 squat. Felt pretty solid, and it being 1 week I was getting ready to really work hard on that heavy set. Started with the bar, then 125 for 10, 6. Then loaded up 205 and hit it for 10 with a paused rep around 7 or so. Next, did something I don't normally do - went straight from 205 to 285. It was a big jump, so I really focused up for it, and the set went very well! The jump didn't throw me off, and I nailed the set of 5 at that weight. Next, loaded up 315 and hit it for an easy triple. Finally, put 350 on the bar. Really tried to focus up, unracking with 125 in my mind, focused on just treating each rep as a single. First and second reps were great, fast and beautiful. On the third rep, I let the weight get a tiny bit out front - not too bad, but it cause my chest to come up slower than my hips. I managed to push through, however, and hit a very nice 4th rep. After that, I KNEW I could get a 5th, so I took some deep breaths and nailed it. It was slow and very hard, but also very solid. A set of 5 is far better than I had even hoped for at that weight. It wasn't perfect, but it was a great set, and a huge confidence booster. I know I am going to smash 405 in a few weeks. Here's the video.

Next, threw 245 on the ground and pulled it for a couple as a warmup, then started on my speed deads: 8 x 1 on the minute from a 1-plate at 335. These went very well. A couple were a tiny bit out in front, and overall they weren't EASY, but that's to be expected after those heavy ass squats, and they still were moving nice and fast.

Finally, dropped back to 125 for snatch grip deads. Hit 125 x 5, 125 x 5, 205 x 5, 285 x 5, and then finally 325 for a hard but very solid 5. It was my hook grip, more than anything else, that was the weak point here. However, 325 was the goal for a new 5rm on these. Now I'm switching to 3's, which is awesome.

Grow legs, GROWWWWW

So, overall, great day. Kick ass squat set, followed by some speedy pulls and a nice heavy set of snatch grip deads. Lets hope benching tomorrow goes nearly as well! And hopefully if I am smart and careful, I can keep having kickass workouts for the next 4 weeks, right up to my mock meet, where I will SMASH my goals. Lets keep at it!

Stupid little workout

Had a stupid little workout saturday. I didn't really feel like doing my normal shit, so I just Did whatever the fuck I wanted to.

Started with some strict press, to feel out the form changes I made, and it went well. Kept everything really nice and strict. Hit 95 for some reps, then 135, then 165, then 185 x 1 that was pretty easy. Then, went up to 200 and threw on the belt. Missed it pretty bad. Went back down to 185 and hit it again beltless, a lot harder this time.

Next, did some clean deadlifts - oly shoes on, and used a hook grip. Pulled 205 for some reps, then 285 x 2, then 325, 365 with ease, and finally pulled a tough but very solid single at 405. I feel pretty good about that. I may have had a few pounds left in me, like 415 or even 425, and that was a) in only shoes, b) without my normal dynamic start, and c) without a belt. Man, I really want to crush my deads the next few weeks and hit 475 when I max out. A friend of mine just hit it, and it makes me ITCH to get that weight as well.

Anyways, nothing too crazy. I'm feeling odd lately. I am itching to be better. Lets keep at it.

Productive day: Bench 185 for 3 x 10

Today was a very productive day.

Started with bench. Again, I worked to arch harder than I have been lately, and it felt really good. I felt like I was finally up on my traps, rather than laying as flat as I have been. First set of 10 was very solid. Second was good, but the 10th was really hard, so I rested a fuckload for the final set, and then went after it. It was tough, and the 10th rep was UGLY, but finally I got it. Very happy with that, I am going to move up to 205 for a 3 x 6 next week. I think the change will be good for me, and I am excited for it.

Next, strict press went well. I warmed up with the bar and 95, then hit 135 x 3, 155 x 3, and finally 170 x 4. Josh watched me, and gave me some really good advice, pointing out that my hips were simply moving forward and backward on reps, which is the "shitiness" that I have been feeling lately. I tried to focus on getting rid of it, and finally kind of figured out what I needed to do, and hit 155 x 7, 135 x 10, and then 185 x 1 all very strict. So here is my basic conclusion: I am NOT doing the hip thing ou of necessity, because I can't press the weight strict. I think this because I a) rarely do it on the first rep, and b) was still able to hit almost the same rep records at a few different weights. Rather, I do it as a force of habit, AND as a way to keep my bar path straight. Basically, I am banging out these big sets, so I get into a rhythm that involves moving my hips, and pushing the hips forward at the start of each rep helps me to keep the bar path straight, whereas when I press without the hip movement I sometimes let the bar get out in front. So here is the fix: be really strict from now on, no matter how frustrating. Give a little bit more of a pause between, and be SURE to set my hips. AND, start with my hips squeezed forward a bit anyways, to keep my head out of the way and the bar path straight. I think if I focus on this, it will make me feel a lot better about my presses, and maybe even make better progress. I'm excited.

Next, 3 x 16 lat pulldowns with 120 or so.

Then, worked up to 185 press with 135, 155, 175, and then 185 x 1, just to sort of show myself that I could.

Finally, grabbed 10 lb dumbells and did a slew of curls, shoulder presses, tricep extensions, lat raises, and then more curls without putting them down. Got a nice little pump.

Overall, very productive day. Finally got done with the 185 bench, and figured out some of my pressing issues so I can be more focused and more happy with my pressing. Getting excited, only 4 weeks of training left! Lets keep at it.

Great Squat Workout 325 x 6

Today was a great squat workout. Felt like ass going in, but I did great. Very happy.

Started with squats. Warmed up, hit the bar, then 135 x 10, 6, then 225 x 8. Then went to 275 and hit it for a solid set of 4. Didn't feel perfect, but it was very solid. So, I loaded up 325 and rested a good amount. Went after it cooly and confidently, focusing on a solid unrack. Weight felt light and moved really nicely. I hit a VERY solid set of 6. I would say I definitely had a 7th, and maybe had an 8th rep in the tank, which is pretty awesome. Definitely a confidence boost. I am feeling VERY excited to start hitting heavier and heavier squats, and feeling ever more sure that I am going to hit my 405 goal.

Next, front squats went great too. Form was so solid on the back squats that I went straight into the front squats. Hit 195 x 2, 225 x 2, and then 250 for a fairly easy 3 sets of 2. Not cake, but very solid. I definitely could have done a triple on pretty much any one of those sets. Quads are growing strong. Also, the running I did yesterday didn't hurt my joints nearly as much as usual. Maybe I am just getting in better shape, or maybe the longer, slower jog is better, but I felt just as springy and explosive as usual, which isn't always the case. Very happy with that.

Finally, fucked my deadlifts up! I was really looking forward to these, and I kicked ass with them. Started a timer, and pulled once every 3 minutes. Started with 245 x 1, then 315 x 1, then 365 x , then went up to 405 and pulled it for 5 singles on the 3 minute. All smooth, all pretty fast. Definitely could have done quite a few more if I needed too. Form was awesome too - back flat, hips low. Secret is to be crazy fast and aggressive in the setup, but also be SURE to push my shins forward enough so tat they contact the bar. Anyways, these were a blast. I can't wait to shred 455 and go for broke on that last attempt. 475 is a very very fantastical dream.

Anyways, great day. Hopefully I won't feel like shit tomorrow haha, but even if I do I just need to keep my head up. Keep working hard, take advantage of the good days, and don't let the bad days shake my confidence. Just 5 more weeks! Lets keep at it.

Run and Arms

Today I took it pretty easy, but also had a fun little workout.

Again, didn't eat breakfast today. Just coffee. I even didn't protein shake at all before my workout, I trained fasted and only drank my shake after, and felt fine. I am REALLY loving this carb-backloading style of eating. I only hope that I start to see some progress with either body comp or body fat loss soon. If I'm stagnant, I need to be a little more extreme. But if I'm lucky, the simple manipulation of WHEN I am eating will be enough to elicit a change. We will see.

Tryna get lean

Anyways, got to the gym and did a quick warmup, ten jumped on the treadmill. Walked a quarter mile, then started running at around 5.5 mph, and maintained between that and 6 mph for the rest of the mile, ending at around 12 minutes. Those 8 mins or so are probably the longest I have run in a while haha. BUT, it felt good! Not too hard, my breathing was good, didn't get a crazy leg pump. Hopefully I'm slowly getting in better shape haha.

After, went to the dumbells and decided to do something I haven't in a while - poundstone curls! grabbed some 10's, and curled them for a set of 100. It hurt haha, but felt good, gave me a nice pump. I don't know if I like these as much as with the barbell though, something about the fixed barbell seems to force you to use your biceps more, even on the later reps. I think maybe I'll keep at these though. Such a good pump.

Anyways, nothing crazy today. Hopefully I will be able to kick some ass tomorrow! I'm feeling excited and optimistic. I need to be precise and focused tomorrow. Lets keep at it.

Okay press day: Bench 215 x 4

Today was an okay day. Not bad, but it also wasn't great, and I made some small mistakes. However, I was also experimenting with a couple things: first of all, moving my grip in a little bit. I had a theory - basically, I realized that pretty much everyone I know grips the bar closer than I, and a good number of them are far stronger than me. Furthermore, the fact that my strict press is so good compared to my bench made me think that maybe gripping the bar a little closer on bench to the width that I strict press with could help. In the end, however, it didn't feel significantly stronger or weaker. I think I WILL move it in a little bit, but only maybe an inch on each side. Secondly, this was my first day pressing without eating breakfast - again, just a cup of coffee. I don't feel that either of these experiments really hurt me today, but they might have held me back a tiny bit. Either way, it wasn't a BAD day, just not particularly great.

Started with 5/3/1 bench. Gripped the bar maybe two fingers closer on each side. Hit the bar, then 95, then 135 for warmups. 170 x 3 moved well, as did 190 x 3, although it maybe felt a little heavier than normal. Went to 215 and hit it for a very solid 4 - easy enough that I went for a 5th. It wasn't a bad decision to go for 5, because I was able to get it maybe 6-8 inches off my chest, but then I failed. And failing reps always makes me disgruntled, especially since a) I was kind of planning on sticking to just a triple, as I did yesterday and felt great about, and b) 4 was already a PR, so going for a 5th was just kind of greedy. I wish I hadn't failed that, it shakes my confidence and makes me annoyed with myself. But over all, 4 is pretty solid - it's a PR, and it was a pretty easy PR at that. Hopefully 230 will go well next week.

Next, dropped back to 190 and moved my grip out to only about 1 finger closer on each side than normal. Again, didn't feel much different, but I think I will try and keep training like this - partly in emulation of people who are better than I, partly because I still think my logic about my good press meaning I should move my grip in makes sense, and partly because it's generally healthier for your shoulders to grip a little closer, so why not. Anyways, hit 3 x 3 at this weight with a couple longer pauses. No problems.

Next, did 3 x 16 rear delt flyes with 10 lb dumbells.

Next, strict press 155. This went significantly better than last week, but still not great. Hit the bar, 115, and then 155 x 8 with a failure on the 9th, 155 x 8, and finally 155 x 7. Then, I did a final set of 3 to make up for the extra reps I didn't get. This is just a little frustrating, for a few reasons. 1) I have definitely hit a bit of a wall. I was making awesome linear progress for a while, and now I've kind of come to a standstill, regressed a little, which isn't fun. 2) I feel like my form is a little shitty. I try to keep strict, but it's so many reps at a heavy weight that I definitely feel like I utilize the "body tremor" to keep the weight moving (not quite leg drive, but not quite as strict as I would like it to be), and sometimes the bar gets kind of whacky and out of position, AND I feel like I am not always moving reps as fast and smoothly as I would like to. But here is the thing: first of all, it's normal to hit a wall, and I think if I keep persevering eventually I will start to see progress again. Even though I only got 7 on the last set, the 8 on the first set was good enough that I tried for a 9th, which is a good sign. Plus, if I focus better on speed and explosiveness, I might be able to sneak out that 9th rep next time. And secondly, although my form might not be as perfect as I would like, the little bit of body language I use is probably WAY less than I feel it is, AND I need to cut myself some slack - it is a ton of reps with a lot of weight, and expecting them all to be perfect and strict when I am pushing to my limit is asking a lot. As long as I keep fighting to keep my form good, I'm still going to get a lot out of this movement, and when I go up a little heavier and don't have to do as many reps I think I will still be able to move really heavy weight with really good form. So basically, I need to just keep doing what I'm doing and don;t get discouraged or frustrated.

Finally, did some pullups. Hit a set of 20 kipped, then a set of 10.

Overall, a little bit of a frustrating day. A couple missed reps didn't feel so great, mentally or physically. But all in all, I am still as strong or stronger than I have ever been. The skipping breakfast experiment is going very well. And I am fast approaching the time of the mock meet, where I believe wholeheartedly I will smash my goals. Lets keep at it.

Minimal squat day: 335 x 3

So it was a very long weekend with very little rest. I felt like death when I got home yesterday. Went to bed nice and early though (as well as took a nap), and felt a lot better this morning. However, one good nights sleep still doesn't make up for the weekend. Plus, on top of the less rest, I have decided to stop eating in the mornings. My stomach just feels downright awful after breakfast, and therefore I am going to at least play around with just having a cup of coffee, and not eating until like a half hour before my workout when I start sipping on my protein shake. ANYWAYS, point is a lot of stuff was off today, so I decided to just go in, do the bare minimum, and get out. Basically, I didn't want to get discouraged, or push myself early in the week and burn out by the end of the week. And it really went quite well.

Started with 5/3/1 squats. I actually felt pretty good, all things considered. Warmed up and hit the bar for a set of 10. Then hit 125 for 10, 6, and 205 for 8. Then I started on my work sets. 260 x 3 felt pretty light, but my back was feeling kind of tweaky and bad. Then, loaded up 295 and hit it for a triple. It didn't feel great, but the reps were pretty fast and easy, so I loaded up 335. Took my time with it, focused, and hit it for a very nice triple. My form was good, the first two reps were easy, and the third (although harder) was still very solid. It just slowed down more than the others. However, I definitely had a rep, maybe two in the tank, and it was certainly NOT the best day so I am very happy with that.

Next, threw 225 on the ground and pulled it for a couple warm-up reps from a 1-plate deficit, which did NOT feel good. loaded up 315 and went after it for my 10 sets of 1, on the minute, from a 1-plate deficit. These were definitely a little off today - I was having some trouble getting into the best position. On a couple reps, the bar was a little too far out in front, on others it was close but my hips weren't as low as they should have been. However, there were also a lot of very nice reps, and overall the weight moved fast and easy. Not the best day, but certainly not bad.

Finally, snatch grip deadlifts went really well. I kept it light at the start, hitting 2 sets of 5 with 125. Then, hit 205 x 5 and 265 x 5 no problem. Finally, loaded up 305 (the heaviest set of 5 I did my last 9 week cycle) and hit it for a greta set of 5. Easy isn't the right word, but I DEFINITELY had a rep or 2 in the tank, without a doubt. Which was definitely not the case last time. Pretty cool.

Ended with a set of 30 situps.

Situps: best done without skin on. 

So, overall, a pretty great day. I am happy with myself for doing just the needed triple at 335. Honestly, I think I should do more workouts like this. It felt good, kept me from getting angry at not breaking a PR, kept me a little fresher for the rest of the workout, and I left the gym feeling really good, not exhausted and like death. I feel like, if I am careful to do a little less on monday and tuesday, it will allow me to have better workouts at the end of the week, which might be better overall. For example, right now my week goes like this

Very good - good - rest - good - okay - rest - rest

And perhaps I would make better progress overall if I were to game my earlier workouts, so my week looked like this

good - good - rest - good - good - rest - rest.

That way, I would be CHOOSING to leave my workout as a "good day," knowing that if I wanted to I could have pushed for an extra rep or two, etc. Instead of pushing in the beginning of the week, then at the end of the week my workouts aren't as good not because I choose to leave some in the tank, but because I am not fully recovered so I miss reps, feel exhausted, blah blah blah. I'm not saying I should never push beyond the prescribed reps on 5/3/1 days, but maybe I should be content to stick a little closer to them, especially on 3 and 5 week. Either way, it was DEFINITELY a good decision today, and I think I will do the same tomorrow, just to ensure that I take it a little easier on myself after that long weekend. Then, in the coming weeks I will just have to decide when the time comes how hard I want to push. But no matter what, lets just keep it fun, and be excited! The time to hit my BIG goals is fast approaching. Lets keep at it.

Good upper body day

Today was a solid day. Felt good for no particular reason haha.

Started with bench. Warmed up, hit 95 and 135. I really focused on arching tighter than I have been, and it felt awesome. Went up to 185 and hammered it for the first set of 10. I got a nasty ass cramp, but it was an easy 10. Second 10 was also solid, but the tenth was a little bit of a struggle. So, I rested a lot for the last set, but STILL missed the tenth rep. I even tried to touch n go it and it just didn't happen. A little frustrating but overall that is a good day benching.

Strict press also went well. I was a little tired out. Hit the bar, then 95 for warmups. Then 125 x 5, 145 x 5, and finally 160 x 7. Not bad, but it was a shitty 7. Form just felt like ass. And the bent bars are really hurting me. But whatever. After, hit 145 and 135 for really strict sets of 5 with very little rest.

Finally, did 2 x 20 lat pull downs with 100lbs just to get some pulling in.

Overall, solid day. Better than most of the week. I felt like ass though. My stomach has really been hurting me in the mornings. I may start playing around with skipping breakfast and see how I do. We will see. Anyways, lets keep at it.

Legs

Today was a straightforward day. Nothing cray, took it a little easier on squats in the hope that I can recover a little this week.... I'm a little sick with some kind of chest cold though, and I have a crazy weekend coming up so I'm a little bummed. But anyways, decent workout.

Started with squats. Warmed up, hit the bar for 10, then 135 for 10, 6, then 225 for 8, then up to 275 for 8. Not a joke, but pretty straightforward and easy.

Next, front squats went really well. I hit 135 for a warmup set, then 185 x 3, 215 x 3, and 240 for 3 x 3. Weight moved really easy on the first set. Second two sets were harder because I went through them really fast, but still pretty easy.

Finally, deadlifts went really well. Started with 125 and limited my rest, hitting a set every 3 minutes. hit 125, 205 and 285 without problem. My back wasn't quite warmed up and 365 felt a little shitty on my lower back especially, but still moved well. So, loaded up 405 and hit it for 3 singles. All of them moved smoothly and fairly fast. Back felt a little shitty and a little round, but it probably wasn't bad at all, maybe a little rounder than normal. Either way, hitting those 3 reps with 3:00 rest is pretty awesome. Maybe I'll do this one more week, for 4 or 5 reps, and then maybe go up to 415. We will see.

Anyways, overall pretty good. life is fucking crazy right now. I'm sick, I have a ton of schoolwork, I have a lot of shit to do with my acapella group, and recovery/focus on training is gonna be tough. But I will just have to do the best I can, take it a little bit easier when in doubt, and I will hopefully keep making great gains right up until my mock meet. Lets keep at it.

Meh training: Bench 205 x 6

Yesterday wasn't a great day. I had a lot of trouble with my pressing, especially strict press. There are a number of reasons I can think of why it wasn't a great day - I'm just a little tired out and beat up, I had a really tough workout monday, I didn't eat a normal breakfast, and the bar I was using was a bit bent. It also could have just been a shitty day. Either way, no big deal. Wish it was better, but what can you do?

Stated with 5/3/1 bench. Felt decent warming up. Hit the bar, 95, 135, then 155 x 5, 185 x 5, and finally 205 x 6. It was a very solid 6, but I wasn't confident I could get the 7th so I didn't go for it. 6 isn't bad at all, but it's not as good as I hoped for. I was really hoping that the change in bench training would help me make some faster gains, and it isn't really. However, I AM still making gains, and that's really all that matters. Dropped back to 185 and hit it for 3 x 5, pretty easy but not as easy as I would have liked it to be.

Next, did 3 x 10 rear delt flies with 15 lb dumbells, but my right elbow was bothering me.

Finally, tried to do my 3 x 9 strict press with 155 and it didn't go well. Hit the bar, 115, and then went to 155. Got a very hard 8 on the first set, and then only got 6 and 6 on the second two sets. This is pretty unusual to me, and while irritating, showed me that I was just having an off day for whatever reason. I decided to just take off from the gym after that, and furthermore to take wednesday completely off. I might just need a little more rest than normal, so I am trying to take it and see how I fare the second half of the week.

Overall, not a great day but not the worst either. Gonna rest up and try and do a little better in the second half of the week. We will see. Lets keep at it.

Squat 315 x 9

Today was a whacky day. Started out feeling like shit and felt like shit for most of the workout. Nothing too horrible, just slow, weak, creaky, etc. However, managed to turn it into a pretty great session with just some force of will.

Big ass back!

Started with squats. Hit the bar for a set of 10, then 125 for 10, 6, then 205 for 8, all the time trying to focus on controlled and beautiful reps. Felt okay, until I loaded up 245 for my first work set of 5. It just didn't feel all that good. The weight moved slower than it should have, and my legs felt way more tired than they should have. Loaded up 285 and tried to focus on moving the weight very controlled, good form, taking enough time between reps to really move the weight nicely. Slightly better, but again the set of 5 was just a little harder than it should have been. My original plan was to hit 315 for a really nice 5, and only do more if I was REALLY feeling good. So, I focused up and tried to hit 315 with a little more tenacity than the other sets, to combat the slow general shittiness. I focused on getting tight, treating the weight like it was a warmup, and really tried to take each rep as a single. I hit 5 fairly easy reps. Went for a 6th, and it was pretty shitty and ugly, with my weight shifting to my toes and the bar getting out in front. However, I couldn't let my last rep suck, so I hit a nice 7th, then a nice 8th. By that point my back was starting to go from having the weight on there, but I just couldn't settle for 8 knowing that's what I got last week, so I hit a 9th. It was absolutely the final rep - probably the closest I have come to just plain failing a squat in a while. But I made it. And even though a 10th certainly wasn't there today, it also was a rough day, AND I hit a couple less-than-perfect reps that took some energy away. Very happy with that set.

Next were speed deadlifts - 295 for 12 x 1 on the minute off of a single plate. These just didn't feel as great as they did last week. Maybe it's cause it was just a shitty day, or maybe it's cause of the crazy hard set of squats I just did, but they just didn't feel great. However, they were still moving REALLY fast - honestly, there may have not been ANY difference in speed from a "good" day, they just didn't feel like they were moving as well. Still moved really fast though. Need to be carful to keep that bar in tight to my shins, it still gets a tiny bit away from me at times.

Snatch grip deads were much the same as everything else - fairly solid, but not feeling quite as good as in weeks past. Hit 125 x 5, 165 x 5, 205 x 5, 245 x 5, and finally 285 x 5. Wasn't "easy," but certainly not hard. Hopefully in the next two weeks I will feel better and be able to smash 305 and 325 x 5.

Finally, a quick set of 40 crunches.

So, overall, a pretty good day. Deads moved fast, I hit what I needed to for snatch grip deadlifts, and I got a pretty sick PR at 315, on a day when I was feeling shitty and planning on taking it a little easier. Not half bad. Definitely going to take it a little easier on thursday, whether I want to or not. Lets keep at it.

Clean and Jerk

Today, I was thinking about not really lifting, but I actually woke up feeling pretty decent. I decided to just clean and jerk today. No real reason why, I just didn't feel like snatching.

It went really well! warmed up nice and slow, then started with 85 lbs, doing some powercleans and a bunch of jerks to work on extending hard, and just try and practice my jerk which is still pretty new to me. Went up to 125, then 165, again doing more jerks than cleans, and trying to focus on keeping the bar back better. Did a double at 185, then started doing singles. 205 and 225 were cake, although I pulled the bar so hard on 225 that it landed pretty hard on me which didn't feel great. went to 245, and for the first time nailed the clean and the jerk right off the bat. Two issues, though. One, I didn't rebound out of the bottom, and had to squat up from a dead stop. And two, I had a bit of arm bend on the jerk. I would say it wasn't QUITE a press out, but definitely not perfect. No big deal, but both problems were exacerbated on the next rep. Loaded up 255, and Josh suggested that I maybe start with the bar closer to my shins, let it roll out as I pushed my hips into position, instead of having to bring my shins to the bar. It worked well, and I cleaned the 255 really well, but again paused in the bottom and had a HELL of a time squatting it up. I made it though, and really focused for the jerk. I managed to get the weight overhead and come to standing, but there was quite the press out.

Overall, that is stil a PR even if it was a little ugly, and I'm pretty freakin happy with that. However, with heavy cleans I need to REALLY focus on rebounding out of the bottom, because the small amount of energy that saves is really important when it comes to max efforts. AND, I just need to focus on pulling under a little better for my jerk. But overall, great little PR today. Gonna rest up a ton tomorrow, and then hopefully have fun with a little bit of an easier week starting monday. Lets keep at it.

Massive Upper body Day: 185 bench 3 x 9

Today, I felt massive. So much upper body pressing. It's going well. Nothing crazy, but all good.

Started with bench. Warmed up, hit the bar, 95, and 135 for warmups, then loaded up 185. Basically, I just tried to focus better on being tight and moving the weight fast and smooth as possible. It went very well. First set of 9 was tough, but I probably had a 10th rep in there. Same with the second. Third set went well, I moved fast and efficiently. 9th rep was tough, but good enough that I went for a 10th, and just couldn't get it. A little bit of a bummer, but hey it's one rep more than last week, and progress is progress.

Next, strict press went well. I wasn't feeling that great cause mu triceps were exploding from the benching. But the weight felt pretty light today. Hit the bar, 95, then straight to 140 x 5, 155 x 3, and finally 175 x 3. It was a very solid triple. Probably would have failed the 4th rep, but the third was NOT incredibly hard. Really happy with that! It's a PR, nothing earth shattering, but I think the fact that I can still PR on fridays, after SO much benching and tired triceps, means that I am getting seriously strong. After, backed off and hit 155 x 7 and 140 x 9.

Then, hit 2 x 15 kipped pullups. Real easy.

Last, just did some curls. Again, strength seems to progress very slowly for my bench... sso my thought is, maybe if I just get bigger my bench will go up faster haha. Anyways, hit the 20's for 15, then 25's for 15, then the 20's for a set of 20 and my biceps were exploding.

Overall, good solid day. Some quality benching, a little strict press PR even when exhausted, and some pullups and curls to help me grow. Lets keep at it.

Strong leg day: squat 315 x 8

Today was a very solid legs day. I wasn't feeling amazing, but I worked hard and kicked ass.

Started with squats. Plan was to work up to a set of 8 today - if I was feeling good, go for 315, if I was feeling bad, just do 275 and save 315 for next week. I warmed up, hit the bar for a set of 8, then 135 for 8, 4, 225 x 8. Then went to 275 and hit it for a set of 4. Definitely didn't feel AMAZING, but fairly solid nonetheless, so I loaded up 315 and went for it. It was a very solid set. All in all, I would say the reps were a bit slower and less explosive than normal - probably a result of running, although I didn't feel as tight as last week. BUT I got all 8 reps, a pr. It wasn't even that hard - the 8th rep was REALLY ugly, I tried to make it really nice and overcompensated, getting caught way forward. But if it had been nice,  I feel sure I might have had another rep or two in me. Very happy with that heavy set of 8. Next week I'm going to back off, and then it will be time to push heavy for 4 straight weeks or so. I'm excited!

Forn squats went well. Again, I was a little slower and less explosive than normal, which affects front squats even more than back squats. But the weight still moves fairly nice. Hit a warm up set at 125, then 205 x 3, 230 x 2, and finally 255 for 3 sets of 1. All nice reps, a little slow, but overall quite easy.

Finally, threw the bar on the ground and assaulted my deadlifts for the day. Hit a set of 3 at 205, then a rep at 285, and a rep at 365 that were beautiful. Went straight to 405, and pulled it for 3 beautiful singles with maybe 5 mins rest maximum. All the reps were really solid. I taped the first two - back is almost completely flat, hips are staying pretty low throughout the movement, and the reps are smooth, without a sticking point. Really excited at how well these are going. Gonna hit this weight for at least another week or two before moving to 415, might play with limiting rest or doing another rep or two.

Overall, kickass day. My left knee is bothering me a little - I think my connective tissue is still just adjusting to running AND squatting, so it's a little inflamed. But overall, I'm feeling great. I'm excited to have a little bit of a back-off next week, and then go hard until my mock meet. I can't wait to DESTROY my goals! 405 squat is going to be beautiful if I can keep consistently having days like today and monday. Lets keep at it.

Little running day

Today, I ran a little. Toned it down from last week, to be more about facilitating recovery and improving work capacity, and less about running really hard. And it went really well.

Warmed up, then jumped on the treadmill. Basically, I alternated walking and running every 30 seconds for 8 rounds, fluctuating between about 3-3.5 mph and 7 and 7.5 mph. Felt a lot better than last week, partly because it was certainly less difficult than last week, but also I think I am already starting to adapt. Didn't get any leg or butt pumps, my form was a lot better, and I didn't feel WAY worse on the 8th round than I did on the first. Plus, running at that 7-7.5 mark showed me that I was running WAY faster outside. That was my estimated speed, and it was FAR slower than last week. I was probably running at like 9 + MPH last week, at around 85% top speed or so. I will take that back to around 70% next time I run not on the treadmill. Hopefully tomorrow I will feel better than last thursday, and the running will have FURTHERED recovery rather than hindered it.

Finally, did some light rep work for arms. supersetted straight bar curls with straight-bar extension movements (one laying down, one overhead). looked like this:

55 lbs for 15/20/15/20
Then 45 for 20/20/20/20

Nice little pump, nothing crazy.

So, good day overall. Gonna keep at the running, slowly but surely. Can't wait to kick ASS in tomorrows workout. Lets keep at it.

Pretty Good Day: Bench 225 x 3

Had a pretty good day today. My back was totally crampy and shit from deadlifting like a maniac yesterday, and I was feeling a little wonky as I warmed up, but overall it ended up being a pretty solid day.

Started with 5/3/1 bench. Warmed up fairly well, and tried to just be calm and have fun hitting warmup weights. Unfortunately, as I said my back was crampy and my warmup sets were just a little weird and sloppy. Not bad, but not great. hit the bar, then 95, then 135. Loaded up 175 and tried to focus up - hit it for a very nice set of 5, and felt toward the end that I could be a little bit tighter in my back as I lowered the weight. So, loaded up 200 and this time focused on squeezing the weight down better. the triple felt really good, so I loaded up 225. It went very well. First and second rep were fairly smooth and easy. On the third, I hit a sticking point but only took about a second to get through it, and it was such a solid rep that I decided to go for a 4th. Which I promptly missed horribly. I REALLY tried to pull that weight down and keep tight under it, but it just didn't move off my chest - maybe I just didn't have the strength, maybe my timing was off, maybe it was mental, but I'm thinking it was some combination of the three. Probably wouldn't have made it anyways, but definitely would have had a better shot at it if it had been a better rep. Anyways, I HATE missing reps so that didn't sit well with me, but I can't really blame myself for going for it because it WAS a really solid triple, and I had a spotter who I normally don't have. Regardless of missing the 4th, that is a) a pr, as I have never repped 225 at all, and b) a marked improvement from last month, where I hit 220 for a hard three, while I would say this 225 was a medium 3. Pretty cool.

After, dropped back to 200 and hit it for a set of 3, 2, and 1. All smooth and easy, with a really long pause on that last rep.

Next, did some rear delt flyes - 3 x 12 with 12.5 dumbells. These definitely feel like a lazy man's back work, but hey they are NOT easy, I can do them fast, and I'm enjoying them.

Next, strict press went really well. Hit the bar, then 115 for a set of 8 to warm up, then loaded up 155. It actually went really well. I was feeling a little slow today, despite really trying to focus on speed. However, even though the first rep was never quite as fast and explosive as I wanted, I managed to hit all 3 sets of 8! The 8th reps on the second and especially the third set were TOUGH, but I got them. Pretty crazy that I have gone from 3 x 6 to 3 x 7 to 3 x 8 the past 3 weeks, all at around the same difficulty. Gonna just go for 3 x 9 next week.

Finally, did a rushed but solid 2 x 15 kipping pullups to finish up.

So, overall pretty awesome day. Bench was solid, despite missing a rep, and strict press was very good as well. This volume seems to be doing me good. I'm gonna keep at it, keep focusing on rep speed and tightness even when doing all these sets of 8-10, have fun, and keep growing. Lets keep at it.

STRONG SQUAT 340 x 4

Today was a kickass day. Went into the gym with a good attitude, moved the weight well, and had fun

Started with 5/3/1 squats. I had a good attitude today, and I was treating the weight like it was nothing, really moving nice and fast. Hit the bar for 10, then 135 for 10, 5. Then went to 225 and hit it for 7 or so. At this point, treating the weight like it was nothing was making me go a little too fast and a little too sloppy haha, so I switched slightly into a calmer mentality, a little more calculated and methodical. Loaded up 270 and focused up, treated it like it was 125 but took a little more time with the reps, and smashed it for 5. Same with 305, hit it for an easy 3 although I could have kept my chest up a little better. Finally, loaded up 340 and went at it. Focused hard on the first rep and smashed it. Really fast and beautiful. Reps 2 and 3 were the same, and then finally the 4th rep was almost as easy, it just slowed down a bit as I came out of the hole. But overall it was a beautiful set of 4, and I will say I DEFINITELY had at least 1 rep in the tank. Really happy with that.

Next, speed deadlifts were what I was REALLY looking forward to today. Then were heavier than I have ever done them - 335 for 8 x 1 on the minute. But I recently watched the videos of Pete Rubish and Chris Hickson hitting some new big pulls, and even chatted with Chris on a forum about the way I have been changing my setup/style. So I was really pumped up to hit these today. Dropped 205 on the ground and ripped it, then did the same with 285, then loaded up 335. I was more aggressive than normal with these pulls, and it really payed off. they were flying off the floor, soem of the best speed deadlift I have ever done, AND they are the heaviest I have ever done. On the first rep, I let the bar get a little bit out in front, but for almost all the other reps I kept everything in good position and simply smashed them. As Chris told me, I need to be careful with the faster setup to get my hips low enough, and keep the bar right up against my shins (things that go hand in hand). But I think if I keep working at this I will get more and more consistent, and this new speed is going to help me make HUGE gains on my deadlift. While with squatting I need to keep calm and methodical, with deadlift I need to be equal parts viciously aggressive and precise. With some work, I think I'm going to do some big things in the future.

Chris Hickson's latest video. He is just a month or so younger than me. 

Snatch grip deads also went really well. Maybe it's because I was so fast with the heavier pulls, but these were moving way faster than normal and easier than normal. hit 125 for 2 x 8, then 205 for 2 x 8, and finally 265 for a set of 8. Totally easy. I'm excited to be DONE with the sets of 8 and start going a little heavier.

And Pete's latest video too. Badass. 

Last, did a set of 40 situps.

So, badass day. I kicked ass with the squats and left a little in the tank, which was smart. I am finding more and more what works for me with deadlifts, and I feel like I am going to start smashing heavy pulls soon. And, finished out my high volume snatch grip work. Lets focus on recovery this week, keep  training fun and smart, and keep at it.

Light snatch workout

ON saturday, took it easy because it was a long hard week and I didn't feel great. Did a lot of light snatch work, doing some reps from the high hang, then 5 singles on the minute at 85 lbs, then 8 singles on the minute at 115, then worked up, hitting 135 for 2, then 155, 155 miss, 155, then 170 which I made but caught a little forward, and called it after that. Just a lighter technique day.