Heavy squat session in AF

I'm feeling like I'm catching a little cold, but since I feel better today than yesterday, I decided to still do some squats and deads.

Squats:

Bar x 10

135 x 10

225 x 6

275 x 4

315 x 3

345 x 2

355 x 1

225 x 8

Wow, squatting felt good.  I'm not sure if the 345 and 355 were to parallel, but they were pretty damn close if they weren't.   I haven't squatted that much since I was in college ( over 20 years ago ), very cool.

Deads:

135 x 6

225 x 5

315 x 4

405 x 2

The 405 went up really easy but I was tired from squats so I didn't go up any higher today.

Dumbbell rows:

95x8

110x7

120x7 

Man the squats took everything out of me...  I'm sooo done.

I got on the scale on the way out, 285#!  Holly crap!  But my belt still fits the same.  

Tuesday speed bench

Speed bench training with Stump.    It was a pretty typical tuesday session.  12 sets of bench for 3 reps,  a few sets with just bands, a few with bands and weight and then a few with just weight.  Then I did some overhead presses not on the smith machine.  It felt pretty good, my shoulders are weak but at least they aren't bothering me anymore.  I then did some tricep extensions ( how can my triceps feel strong but my shoulders are sooo weak? ) and some face pulls ( I think doing these are helping my bench ).

We then both headed over to my house to watch "Power Unlimited".  Pretty cool movie.  Here's part of the trailer that I thought was pretty cool:

Taekwondo forms class

Even though my hips and legs were really sore from my DE squat workout yesterday, I went to Taekwondo class today.   Here are a couple forms from my warm up.

Do San

Dan Gun

Definitely not my best forms, even for just warming up.  It's hard to do taekwondo when you're thinking about powerlifting.   The class wasn't bad though.  I went on to do 2 sets of all my ITF forms, up to Ge Beak.  

Box squats and deads at Golds on 13th

Box squats ( lower box today than in the past )

On all sets I worked on being explosive up from the bottom

Just the bar x 12

135 x 6

135 plus purple bands x 3

185 plus purple bands x 3

185 plus purple bands x 3

205 plus purple bands x 3

205 plus purple bands x 3

205 (no bands from here out )x 3

225 x 3

185 x 3

185 x 3

Deads ( worked on explosiveness )

225 x 3

315 x 3, 6 sets

Dumbbell rows

95 x 10

115 x 8

125 x 7

125 x 7

95 x 8

A few seated cable rows, and a few leg curls.

I don't really care for the golds on 13th, but it seems that I have good sessions there.  On the way out, I could tell that my hips, hams, and lower back got a good workout.  315 feels really light now for deads, light enough that I could be pretty explosive with it. The squats are definitely to parallel, and I continue to feel stronger doing them.  I think Im finally figuring out the low bar placement.

Friday night heavy benching

Friday night heavy benching with Jeff, Stump, Kyle, Parker in American Fork.

Bench warmup

empty bar x 15

135x12

I decided to do Jeff's pyramid again.  It went as follows:

200x8

230x5

250x3

290x1

290x1

290x1

230x7 ( I added 2 extra since it felt like the thing to do )

Stump said he helped a little on the third single.  In the spreadsheet, this pyramid is labeled 315.  I'm not really sure what that means, but I sure would be happy getting 315 at the meet ( I think I'm close ).

I then did some overhead presses on the smith machine, dips ( URG dips!  I'm sooo weak at dips ), and face pulls.

Overall a good workout, except Kyle dumped the weight on one of his singles ( with more plates on the bar than I could count,lol.  I think it was 495 ) and he thinks he pulled his pec.  Hopefully the big guy will heal up quickly.  

ME squats and deads

Squats

135x8

135x8

225x6

275x5

295x3

315x1

315x2 ( this is a new PR with my wide-ish stance, it still could be wider though )

315x1

Deads

225x8

315x3

405x1

425x1

425x1

Then a couple seated cable rows.  

Opps, time to get back to work for a meeting.  I wanted to do more, but it's probably best anyway since last week my squat/dead workout effected my heavy bench the next day.

Its been about 5 months since I first started changing my workouts into more of a power lifting workout.  I think today represents making the transition complete.  I'm finding my self instead of thinking about "working out" its become "training".  I no longer have "chest/tris" day and "back/bicep" days, but I have "bench" days, and "squat/deadlift" days.  Its a subtle change but I feel that it's significant.  Another thing to note is that it's been about 3 months since I've done bicep curls ( like I used to do all the time on my "back/bicep" day ), but my arms have grown ( my wife has noticed it ).

DE benching

135 x 12 sets ( I think ) of 3 reps as quick as possible ( I'm still feeling like I'm slow to bring the weight down even only 135.  I'm not really sure why other than it's in my brain ).

Smith machine overhead presses.  Worked up to "205" minus whatever the smith machine subtracts.

Did super sets of face pulls and tricep cable pushes.  I'm really liking the face pulls, I think they're the reason my shoulders are getting stronger while benching.  No dips today, probably should have done some.

Then on to watching "Bigger Stronger Faster" at Stumps house.  Very cool.

DE squat workout

DE Box squats:

185 with purple bands 5 sets of 3 reps

205 with purple bands 2 sets of 3 reps

225 with purple bands 2 sets of 3 reps

205 with purple bands 2 sets of 3 reps

185 purple bands 2 sets of 3 reps

Rack pulls, 4 holes up from the bottom, ie lower than last 2 times

225 x 8

315 x 6

265 x 4

405 x 3

405 x 3

405 x 3

405 x 3  

Good mornings

135 x 3

135 x 8

185 x 7

185 x 6

225 x 4

225 x 7

225 x 6

185 x 5

135 x 8

Then a couple sets of leg curls.

Man I was dead after todays workout.  The DE squats are a killer, probably need to drop down to 2 sets each set.  I don't know why, but 3 just seemed to "feel" right so that's what I did.   

It's a shame that the golds on 13th is the only one open on sunday.  I don't like the squat rack there, it wobbles ALOT, and I feel like everybody is watching me, especially using bands and doing goodmornings. 

ME bench workout Friday Sept 12

ME bench workout with Moosie and Jeff.

I decided to do Jeff's pyramid.   I think it went something like this ( I really need to take better notes in the gym )

200x8

225x5

275x3

290x1

290x1

290x1

225x5

Since I arrived at the gym first, I had done several sets of 135 and then 225 before this pyramid.  I think that effected my performance on the singles ( they were hard ).

I then did some shoulder overhead presses on the smith machine.  I think stump is right, I need to get off the smith machine.

Then we did dips.  I really need to work the dips.  It's been a long time since I've done them, and I'm weak with them in what feels to be the same way as my bench.

Then onto some cable tricep work.

It was a good workout.  I think next ME bench workout I need to change the exercise.  I don't want to start going backwards.

ME Concentric goodmornings with coach Stump

I've been wanting to do max effort concentric goodmornings for a while, but haven't done them because I would have had to do them off the pins of the power rack  with a normal squat bar ( and my hands could get in the way ).  Stump had straps which solved this issue so I finally got to do them.  The workout went as follows ( I could be remembering some of the specifics wrong ) :

A few sets with just the bar

135 x 5

135 x 7

185 x 4

185 x 5

225 x 3

225 x 3

255 x 0 ( I know I can do this, but still have to just get used to the movement )

255 x 2

255 x 2

I can see these helping my deadlift HUGE.  As with my deads, I can see being able to do quite a bit more weight with this after I get used to the motion.

On to some squats, working on the hip flexibility and getting to parallel

Maybe 5 sets of 135 x 5 to 7.  

Stump verified that I can get to parallel.  I know the weight's light, but this is HUGE!   

We figured out that if we set the pins on the 11th hole up, when Im at parallel the bar just touches the pins.  This is really going to help my squat workouts when I'm solo since it's hard for me to know when I'm actually parallel. 

135 x 5-6  to bar touching the pins

135 x 5-6 to bar touching the pins

Ah, lets set the pin to the 10th hole then only my hands need to touch because I was finding that I had to try to move my hands out of the way before.

135 x 5 (to hands touching the pins, ie they're all essentially to parallel)

185 x 4 

185 x 4

225 x 3

225 x 3

I feel like I'm really making progress on the squats, woohoo I can get to parallel!   Reaching my short term squat goal is in sight  ( ie being able to squat 315 to parallel with good form ).

I then did a few sets of back hyperextensions.  A few with no weight and a few holding on to a 25 pound plate.

It's coming...

Ski season that is....  

Hopefully it's 2 months away.  I'm getting my 140 mm under foot fat ( ie HUGELY FAT ) powder skis ready for the season.  Hopefully it's as good as last year.

Speed bench workout

Speed bench workout with Stump.  

After warming up with just the bar, the benching went as follows:

135 for 3 quick ( quick for me that is with my 6'11" wingspan,  promise that's they last time I used that excuse ) reps, no bands today.  I lost count of number of sets but I think I probably did around 12 sets.  I think I'm not recovering enough from my squat/deads workout on Sunday/Monday ( or taekwondo ) and it's affecting my speed on this workout.  But I guess that's kind of what this is all about, pushing yourself to make your body respond.

I noticed that even with 135 on speed day, I'm slow to bring the weight down, just like I was with heavy weight last saturday.  I'm really trying to work on that on tuesdays, since hopefully it means that I won't use up all my energy lowering the weight when I bench heavy on saturday, and my 1RM will go up.  I don't know why this is so hard for me to get, but it is ( even harder then using my legs to drive which Stump emphasized to me today ).  But before I never even focused on these things, so I feel that "trying" to focus on them is an improvement in itself.  It's working, in general ( when I'm able to sleep enough ) I feel strong.  The bench is going up, the deads are going up even faster, the squats... well I'll get there eventually I'm sure.

Sorry, that got off track, back to the workout...

I then did some overhead presses on the smith machine, 4 sets of 7-9 reps with what I'd call 185 as the weight, ie the actual weight is what the smith machine subtracts, which I'm not sure what it is, and don't really care.  The "smith" machine at this gym hooks on in the opposite direction as the one down in AF that I used a few days ago.  LOL, my brain didn't like that, trying to figure out which way to twist the bar looking in the mirror.  

I then did super sets of lat pulldowns ( in front, I don't do them behind anymore ) and standing cable tricep push downs  (I need to start filling out this blog in the gym.... ) for about/probably 4 sets with the whole stack of weight.  I then did 5 sets of face pulls ( as shown on the westside barbell dvd ).  I can see these helping my weak shoulders more than the overhead smith machine presses ( which I need to cycle out of my workouts anyway since I've done them two DE bench workouts in a row ).

272# today, ie still gaining.  Free all I could eat lunch at work yesterday and  free even more than I could eat dinner at class last night seems to have helped build some mass, LOL.  Lets see the meet is about a month away, I'll probably continue with this until I get to 280 or so, and then drop down to just under 275 before the meet ( I can loose weight pretty quick when I try ).  Not that it really matters, my ultimate goal is to just be strong, but I'm curious to see if I can cycle my weight like that, and what it means to my strength.  The learning continues....

DE squats at golds on 13th

Dynamic effort box squats.  Got everything set up and did a few with just the bar, then

135 with mini bands, 5 sets of 2 quick reps ( too easy )

185 with mini bands, 4 sets of 2 quick reps ( still too easy )

135 with purple bands, 4 sets of 2 quick reps

185 with purple bands 4 sets of 2 quick reps ( I think next time I'll start here )

Assistance work: rack pulls from just below the knee

225x10

315x6

315x6

315x7 ( though about upping the weight, but then remember how I think doing this basically destroyed my DE bench workout on tuesday last week )

315x7

The rack pulls felt good, I think next time I'm going to lower the pins.  I think today it was just above my sticking point, so I'm not sure how much it's going to help my heavy deads.

Then did a few sets of leg curls.  I don't really care for the golds on 13th, but it's the only one that's close thats open on sunday.  I think the squats continue to improve, but the hips still need to get more flexible.

Saturdays' ME bench workout

Benching with Stump, Jeff, Moosie, Parker, Manny and Lindsey.

2 sets of 10 with just the bar

135x13

135x10

225x5

225x4

275x3

300x1 ( stump had to help a little )

300x1 ( still not quite, but really close, URG )

275x2 ( felt light after the 300 )

I then did 5 sets of overhead presses on the smith machine with 185, and a few sets of tricep extensions.

I was hoping to get the 300 today, it was really close, but not quite.  I think with the intensity at a meet, I would likely get it, based on how 285 felt at the last meet and the increase in my benching lately at the gym.

Overall a good workout, with the same positive energy as usual.  Good luck to everybody who's going to the meet next week.

ME Deads and some squats

Well, after two nights of pretty good sleep, I felt good enough to hit it hard again today.

ME Deads:

135x10

225x10

315x5

365x2

405x2

435x1

405x2

315x5 ( I don't really know why I did these last two, but at the time it seemed like the thing to do. )

OK, now I know what Stump means about learning how to struggle/strain ( and seeing stars after a tough lift ).  Before I started doing powerlifting workouts, if something felt too heavy from the beginning I wouldn't continue.  I'm also learning that I think my sticking point on deads is about a few inches below my knee, so that's about 3 feet off the floor, LOL just kidding.  The amazing thing is that on my last ME DL workout, I did 385, so today was 50 pounds more.  I know its only a phycological thing, but it's really cool that 405 is pretty easy now ( its easier than 315 seemed just a month ago ).

On to some squats:

135x5

135x5

225x3

225x3

275x2

275x2

On all of these I tried to keep my stance wide, toes out to the rack.  I think it's slowly getting there ( I'm closer to parallel than anybody else I see squatting at that gym ).  The weight felt pretty easy, I think once my hips/brain let me get to parallel, I could actually have a respectable squat ( especially considering how far I move the weight ).

I finished things out with 3 sets of seated cable rows, a couple sets on the leg curl machine, and some shrugs.

On my way out, I got on the scale.... 270.2.  OMG, I was trying to gain some weight, but that's more than I thought I had gained ( almost 10 pounds in 2 weeks ).  But my belt still fits the same, it must be a good thing.

Wednesday's thoughts

Its been 10 days since I went to Taekwondo class.  I'm seriously considering taking a break from it for a while.  I don't feel like I'm getting anything out of it anymore.  The school is non-traditional and lately I find myself being annoyed at their horrible form technique and their sloppy sparring.  Im honestly embarrased when new potential students come into the school to watch a class.   It's also taking away from my ability to recover from my weight training workouts.  

Light bench work

My intention was to do a dynamic effort bench workout today, but my body felt drained, no energy, let alone any explosiveness.  I did maybe 6 sets of bench with 135 and the mini bands,  felt weak.  Then I did a few sets of overhead presses on the smith machine, an new shoulder exercise that Stump showed me, and then a few tricep presses.  Overall I felt drained and weak today, so I didn't push it.  Maybe I shouldn't have done the heavy-ish rack pulls yesterday.  Hopefully I'll sleep better over the next few days, and feel back to my normal weak self.

DE squat workout at Golds in St George

I was down in St. George so I decided to check out the Golds gym down there.  They have one crappy power rack, URG.  I couldn't even hook my bands to the pins because there was nothing keeping the pins from sliding out of the rack.   The workout went as follows:

12 sets of box squats, 2 quick reps with 135 with wide stance.

Rack pulls just below the knee:

225 x 5

275 x 3

315 x 3

405 x 3

405 x 3

315 x 3

I then did sets of seated cable pulls.  Then a set of dumbbell curls, yes rack pulls really do work your biceps, I could only do one set before I knew I was done.

I didn't care for the golds down here, way too much of a "fitness center" and not a weightlifting gym.  If I lived here, I'd have to find another place to lift.