Project Improvement 2012: A 3DMJ Production.

[ErickStevens]

Bodyweight

217.2

Day 19 of USAPL Florida State Open Championships Prep

Block Pull (Mid-Shin, Stiff Bar)
335 x 4
425 x 4
+ Belt
515 x 4 @ 7
565 x 4 @ 8.5
575 x 4 @ 9
515 x 4 @ 7.5
515 x 4 @ 9

* The RPE is bumped up a little bit just because of my trap. I'm definitely good for more weight but I'm playing it safe for now.

3 Count Pause Bench
225 x 4 @ 7.5
235 x 4 @ 8.5
240 x 4 @ 9
225 x 4 @ 8
225 x 4 @ 9

Pendlay Row
135 x 7 @ 7.5
145 x 7 @ 9
135 x 7 @ 8
135 x 7 @ 9

Curls, shrugs, abs.

Conditioning

Prowler Suicides x Puke

Notes

I was really feeling Friday's squats today. Despite my DOMS I felt my block pulls went good today and I didn't even notice my trap until the 565 and 575. Like I noted above, I've been grading my RPE on a curve, usually bumping it up one point higher than it would normally be. My posterior chain felt good for 600 x 4 but I'm in no rush to go backwards with my injuries. 10 weeks to go!

[The Solution]

The carbs must of treated you good. Great workout man. Enjoy your weekend.

[hcoyle545]

There's always barbell complexes or bodyweight circuits. Burpees are horrible!

I've just started adding in BB complexes after every session. They are humbling indeed

[ErickStevens]

Bodyweight

218.4

Day 20 of USAPL Florida State Open Championships Prep

Squat
230 x 4
320 x 4
370 x 4
+ Belt
410 x 4 @ 7.5
430 x 4 @ 8.5
440 x 4 @ 9.5
410 x 4 @ 9.5

Close Grip Bench (Paused)
225 x 2 @ 5
245 x 2 @ 7
265 x 2 @ 8
275 x 2 @ 9
255 x 2 @ 7.5
255 x 2 @ 8
255 x 2 @ 9

Close Grip 3 Board Bench (Light Touch)
225 x 5 @ 8
235 x 5 @ 9
225 x 5 @ 8
225 x 5 @ 8.5
225 x 5 @ 9

Rows, delts, triceps, and abs.

Conditioning

Sled Sprints: 180 x 20 ft (4x), 135 x 20 ft (4x), 90 x 20 ft (4x)

Notes

Welp - Squats sucked donkey dik again today. I should be surprised I guess, it's not going to happen over night. The good/bad news is that my meet I've been prepping for is going to be much later than I expected - March 10th. This all but assures that I will be a 242er for my next competition. If by some miracle I stay at or below 225 then I'd be willing to cut down to make the 220s but any more weight than that will be more trouble than it's worth for a few Wilks points.

[arian11]

We weigh the same, quick measure your guns!

[FrmrHoss]

You happen to catch Mike T's results from his meet this weekend? Absolutely ridiculous, think he went 9/9 with lifts of 760/479/804 if I remember right.

[ErickStevens]

We weigh the same, quick measure your guns!

A little over 17.

You happen to catch Mike T's results from his meet this weekend? Absolutely ridiculous, think he went 9/9 with lifts of 760/479/804 if I remember right.

Yep, he's a monster.

[arian11]

A little over 17.

Come at my 16" fatceps bro. Haven't done a biceps exercise in like 3 years. And direct triceps work only the past couple months.

[ampUP11]

in, any thread that makes arian look like a bish is for me.

[Frankdaddy]

I think your squat groove will come, taking the belt out as you said probably hurt you because it's a tool, just like a high bar squat or low bar. A person cannot expect to switch it around and go back and be just as strong because it's almost two entirely different movements with or without.

Is Mike doing your entire routine still?

[ErickStevens]

Bodyweight

218.2

Day 21 of USAPL Florida State Open Championships Prep

Deadlifts (w/ Belt, Stiff Bar)
515 x 3 @ 8
535 x 3 @ 9 * Technique 9, not strength 9. I got too forward on my last rep and made it way more difficult than it had to be.
495 x 3 @ 8
505 x 3 @ 9

Bench vs Doubled Mini Bands (Paused)
185 x 3 @ 7
195 x 3 @ 8
205 x 3 @ 8.5
185 x 3 @ 7
185 x 3 @ 7.5
185 x 3 @ 8
185 x 3 @ 8.5

Barbell Lunge
140 x 4 @ 7
150 x 4 @ 8
160 x 4 @ 9
150 x 4 @ 9

Pulldowns, shrugs, biceps, and abs.

Conditioning

Push Ups x 10 + Jump Squats x 10 + Sit Ups x 10 + Squats x 10 (3x)
100 Get Ups

Notes

Not a bad day. Deadlifts are making slow and steady progress, so I've got no complaints there. Bench feels really light which is a much different feeling than I'm used to. I'm looking forward to squatting again on Friday!

[ErickStevens]

in, any thread that makes arian look like a bish is for me.

So you like 98% of the threads in this section?

I think your squat groove will come, taking the belt out as you said probably hurt you because it's a tool, just like a high bar squat or low bar. A person cannot expect to switch it around and go back and be just as strong because it's almost two entirely different movements with or without.

Is Mike doing your entire routine still?

Believe it or not I think I've been squatting too narrow as of late. I'm going to widen it by a few inches and see if that helps.

Mike T does my programming for the main stuff but I throw in my own BBing accessory work to get my swole on.

[Frankdaddy]

So you like 98% of the threads in this section?



Believe it or not I think I've been squatting too narrow as of late. I'm going to widen it by a few inches and see if that helps.

Mike T does my programming for the main stuff but I throw in my own BBing accessory work to get my swole on.

Going for the big quads huh broski? haha. I find myself going too narrow on occasion as well and then once the %'s get up their then I start to notice I can't perform as I would like until I realize what I am doing wrong.


is everybody still doing the 600lb raw squat race? I want to get in the runnings of this shhh!!!

[KelseaMarie]

Better half, checking in.

[arian11]

Better half, checking in.

Oh lawd. Strong title. Strong sig. Strong rep to post count ratio. Strong avi. Strong everything.

[The Solution]

Does Mike do your conditioning too or is that all you?

[KelseaMarie]

Oh lawd. Strong title. Strong sig. Strong rep to post count ratio. Strong avi. Strong everything.

Yes, I'm very strong.

[arian11]

Yes, I'm very strong.

Someone keyboard coaches told me your deadlift form is horrible.

[KelseaMarie]

Someone keyboard coaches told me your deadlift form is horrible.

I rounded my back on a max attempt, apparently that's not allowed.

[wrkoutfrq]

I rounded my back on a max attempt, apparently that's not allowed.

dont you know YouTube form judging is law?!? if they call foul the attempt is automatically no good..................

[ErickStevens]

Going for the big quads huh broski? haha. I find myself going too narrow on occasion as well and then once the %'s get up their then I start to notice I can't perform as I would like until I realize what I am doing wrong.


is everybody still doing the 600lb raw squat race? I want to get in the runnings of this shhh!!!

Yeah, I figured I'd experiment to give my hips a rest but fuk it. Time to start moving big weights. I'm still racing, 600 is going down (and up) in 2013!

Better half, checking in.

No argument.

Oh lawd. Strong title. Strong sig. Strong rep to post count ratio. Strong avi. Strong everything.

Pretty much.

Does Mike do your conditioning too or is that all you?

He gives me guidelines but I pretty much do my own thing.

dont you know YouTube form judging is law?!? if they call foul the attempt is automatically no good..................

They're just mad she deadlifts more than they do.

[KelseaMarie]

Sooooo, hi.

[Big Sexy J]

Sooooo, hi.

You guys should just get married.

[ErickStevens]

Sooooo, hi.

Strong stalker.

You guys should just get married.

That's a good idea.

[L The Pirate]

Hey Erick,

Been meaning to ask you..

What 3 or 4 upper body movements you think give you your greatest bang for buck.

Im usually fried after squat/deadlifts, but on my bench only days ive been throwing in some tricep pushdown/bicep rope supersets.

Need to strengthen my back ALOT. program already have rows, military press, and CGBP built in.

Any suggestions??

PS-trying to plan a trip to west coast early next year, so i can get back in there and not look so weak..

[ErickStevens]

Hey Erick,

Been meaning to ask you..

What 3 or 4 upper body movements you think give you your greatest bang for buck.

Im usually fried after squat/deadlifts, but on my bench only days ive been throwing in some tricep pushdown/bicep rope supersets.

Need to strengthen my back ALOT. program already have rows, military press, and CGBP built in.

Any suggestions??

PS-trying to plan a trip to west coast early next year, so i can get back in there and not look so weak..

The more lat work the better. I'd try to do a pulldown or pullup and a row variation every time you're in the gym. Heavy shrugs too!

[L The Pirate]

The more lat work the better. I'd try to do a pulldown or pullup and a row variation every time you're in the gym. Heavy shrugs too!

Thanks man, appreciate it will do.

[ErickStevens]

Bodyweight

218.4

Day 22 of USAPL Florida State Open Championships Prep

Bench (Paused)
225 x 4 @ 5
245 x 4 @ 7
255 x 4 @ 8.5
265 x 4 @ 9.5
245 x 4 @ 7
245 x 4 @ 7

Squats (w/ Belt)
410 x 2 @ 6
430 x 2 @ 8
440 x 0

JM Press
135 x 5 @ 5
155 x 5 @ 7
175 x 5 @ 8
195 x 5 @ 9
175 x 5 @ 7.5
175 x 5 @ 9

Rows, delts, abs.

Notes

So today it finally dawned on me that what's been happening with my squat has very little to do with strength and more to do with something more serious. Whenever I get to around ~400 on squats, I begin to experience an extreme ache in my quads. It's so bad that it makes squatting even relatively light weight an impossibility. I'm hoping it has nothing to do with my spine but I'm going to try and get an MRI just to make sure. If you know me you know how much I enjoy squatting, so this is a pretty big blow. Hopefully the solution turns out to be an easy one and I can get back to training at 100%.

[psychodiver9]

Good luck E. Hope all turns out ok

[The Solution]

Very sorry to hear about what may be holding you back. I hope the MRI goes well man!