Martin's odyssey to become not as weak.

[martin_mathers]

DE Squat/DL from last Friday

DE Free Squat
up to
255x10x2

DE Deadlift with chains
up to
335+80chains x6x2

T bar row
4x12

Reverse Hyper
4x10

GHR
4x10

Ab pulldown
4x20

Went easy on deads cause i'm pulling heavy on Monday.



DE Bench from Saturday

DE Bench against doubled red mini's
up to
215x10x3
225x3
235x2
245x2
255x2

Tates
4x10

Facepulls
4x20

Curls
4x10

Fast as hell. But not really the best week of training. It was midterm week and I basically didn't get much sleep and food for a whole week. Had my last midterm on friday and i managed to catch up on some sleep this weekend. Hopefully i'll have better training sessions next week.

[martin_mathers]

ME Squat/DL Day

ME Deadlift with Chains
135x2x5
225x2
225+80chains x2
315+80chains x2
405+80chains x1
445+80chains x1
475+80chains x1 PR
495+80chains x1 PR. Blasted off the ground and slowed down at lockout. Very happy with this though. Heaviest weight i've locked out ever (575 at top)
315+80chains x3 glute was tight as fuuck
I had to deadlift with the shiitty bar with no knurling today and the bar kept slipping on my hand during warmups. Chalked the hell out of my hands for my top sets and managed to hold on to it. I was hoping for 505+80chains today but i started to feel some tightness in my glute so i shut it down.

T-Bar Rows
5x12

Reverse Hypers
4x10

GHR
3x10

Ab wheel
3x12

Pulling heavy again in about 3 weeks. It will be ME Pin pulls from low pins. Then probably going to test my regular deadlift in about 6 weeks. Hoping for 575-585.

[martin_mathers]

ME Bench

ME Bench with chains
barx2x10
135x2x8
135+80chains x5
185+80chains x3
225+80chains x3
255+80chains x2
265+80chains x1
275+80chains x1
285+80chains x1
290+80chains x1 PR
295+80chains x1 PR
Warmups felt like absolute shiit but felt better as the weight got heavier. Last set felt the best out of all of them. I set the chains pretty high so all the chains were off the ground at the top. Pretty hard to stabilize.

Regular Bench
275x5x5

DB Press
4x10

Lateral Raises
4x12

Facepulls
4x15

Curls
4x12

Another good ME day. Bench is getting stronger slowly but surely. I've been trying to eat more lately but my morning bodyweight is still around 230. I want to get up to 245.

[martin_mathers]

DE Squat/DL

Today was supposed to be the last week of my DE free squat wave but my glute pain was flaring up big time, probably due to the fact that i already did 2 weeks of free squatting and i deadlifted heavy on monday. So i did box squats instead.

DE Box Squat
up to 285x10x2
Fast as hell and no pain at all. I wish there was a federation that allowed box squats lulz.

DE Deadlift with chains
up to
345+80chains x9x2
345+80chains x5
All conventional cause i pulled heavy sumo on Monday. I normally do one rep conventional then one rep sumo for each set. Deads are feeling strooooong.

Reverse Hypers
4x10

Lat pulldown
4x15

So i guess i'll be going back to box squats for both my ME and DE days for now. It seems like my injury is going nowhere but at least i can deadlift pain free now so i think I'm still moving in the right direction. My knees have also been feeling a bit better.
If this free squatting issue doesn't clear away i might actually get into gear. Been thinking about buying a pair of inzer predator briefs. I tried a single ply suit a while ago and it still didn't give my glute much support.

[martin_mathers]

DE Bench

DE Bench against Doubled Red Minis
up to
225x10x3
245x2
255x2
265x2

Tates
4x10

Facepulls
4x20

Curls
3x12

Have to squat tomorrow instead of monday because the gym is closed on monday and tuesday (Canada day weekend). Probably won't do an ME squat day. I'll just get some volume in on box squats.

[martin_mathers]

ME Bench

ME Dead Bench at Chest level
barx10
135x2x5
225x5
275x3
295x2
315x1
325x1
335x1
345x0 would've been a 5lb PR. Mad as fuuuuuuuuuuck. Just wasn't feeling strong today. My excuse is not eating enough over the long weekend. Still hit 335 pretty easy though which is 98.5% of my dead bench 1RM. So according to Louie Simmons' words I'm still good lol.

Regular Bench
up to
295x4x3 wide grip
295x2x3 comp grip

DB Bench
3x10

Facepulls
4x20

Dips
4x20

Not a good day but one thing i've learned from doing westside for the past 4 months is that when you're constantly working with weights close to your max, you're NOT going to break a PR every time. Especially if you're natty lol.
Either way i'm contemplating on switching back to a more basic program that focuses on the 3 lifts and building volume. And I might start doing some Overhead presses which i totally suck at. i think the most i've done was like 145x5 which is pathetic for a guy with a 365 bench.
I'm also really fuucking tired of box squatting. I tried doing high bar close stance squats over the weekend and they hurt my glute less so i might focus on doing them for now.

[martin_mathers]

DE Squat/DL

DE Deadlift
up to
455x3
315x8x1
didn't use bands or chains today. I felt like working up a little bit before my speed work cause i didn't really do anything on my ME Squat/DL day this week. Still moved fast though. Back to regular speed deads with bands next week.

DE Box Squat
up to
295x10x2
Used my romaleos today. Actually felt pretty good. I might use them next Monday for ME box squats.

Chest supported rows
4x10

GHR
4x12

Ab pulldowns
3x20

Im still obsessing over the 345 dead bench miss on wednesday. That's what happens when i miss a weight. Next time i do that lift again i swear to fuucking god I'm gonna smoke that biitch.

[izzygrant]

it's dead bench tho. not even a real lift.

[martin_mathers]

it's dead bench tho. not even a real lift.

But it's one of the best builders for the raw bench IMO (if done at chest level). I know Josh Bryant is a big fan of it and he makes most of his clients train the dead bench. Plus its just 10x harder than a regular bench/paused bench. Cause you literally have zero momentum before pressing the weight up. Im actually going to try a 345 dead bench again next week. brb raging hard if i miss it again.

DE Bench
up to
205+80chains x12x3

Standing DB Press
5x10

Tri's pushdown
4x15

Curls
4x10

Facepulls
3x20

didn't know i was looking so skinny.

[NorthStrong]

Not at Fortis?

Also dead bench felt like hell on my pec tendons for the couple weeks that I tried it. No ty.

[martin_mathers]

Not at Fortis?

Also dead bench felt like hell on my pec tendons for the couple weeks that I tried it. No ty.

I'm in a co-op program so I'm in school every 4 months (Waterloo). Back to Fortis in September.
Lol yea its a very humbling exercise.

[martin_mathers]

Monday

Box Squats
up to
315x6x3

Paused Bench
up to
275x5x5
285x3x3

Chest supported rows
4x10

Ab pulldown
4x20


Wednesday

Deadlift
all beltess
up to
465x10x1

Paused Bench
up to
275x3
285x3
295x6x3

Reverse Hyper
4x10

Facepulls
4x20

Ab pulldown
3x20


Changing my training up a bit. Starting very light on squats 2x a week. Benching 3x a week and deadlifting 1x a week. I'm lowering the percentages and building more volume for all 3 lifts.
Main focus is to deadlift 585 in September or October. I'm going to pull beltless for as long as i can for the next month or so.

[martin_mathers]

Box Squat
up to
315x7x3

Free Squat
up to
275x2x2 First time squatting 275 pain free in over a year lol. For some reason my glute pain did not flare up at all today. I was tempted to go heavier but the gf stopped me which was a good thing.

Paused Bench
up to
275x6x5

Chest supported rows
5x10

GHR
4x10

Gonna start doing light free squats after box squats now. Hopefully this time i'll move in the right direction. Gotta keep telling myself not to rush it. inb4 i go for a 465 squat on Monday lololol

[martin_mathers]

OHP
up to
135x4x5
135x8

Lateral Raises
4x12

Facepulls
4x15

Tri Pushdowns
4x20

Curls
4x12

[martin_mathers]

Squat (WITHOUT A BOX! HOLY ****)
up to
275x2x3
295x6x3
Felt awkward as hell as this was the heaviest i'd gone without a box in a loooooong time. Glute held up fine though. I'm still going to keep the weight super light on free squats for now and slowly increase the weight week by week.

Paused Bench
up to
280x5x5
295x2x3

Chest supported rows
5x10

Ab wheel
3x12

Pretty happy with how the squats went. Glute tightened up a little bit during my last few sets but its definitely bearable. Keeping weights light and my fingers crossed.

[martin_mathers]

Deadlift (All beltless)
up to
475x10x1
Felt great. Pretty fast.

Paused Bench
up to
300x6x3
Meh. Felt sloppy today on the bench.

Reverse Hypers
180x10
200x10
210x10
220x10
180x10
I friggin love this thing. Makes my glute feel awesome. Louie simmons is a fuucking genius.

Facepulls
4x20

Good day. No pain in glute at all. I had to roll it with a lacrosse ball after every single set though.

[martin_mathers]

Friday

Squat
up to
315x6x2
Very happy with this. Still felt very awkward in the hole though.

Paused Bench
up to
280x6x5

Chest supported rows
4x12

GHR
4x10


Saturday

OHP
up to
140x4x5
140x10
Im getting better at this. Not too long ago i could only overhead press 145x5.

Close grip bench
up to
185x10
225x3x10
4th time benching this week. Still felt great.

Reverse Hyper
4x10

Side Raise
4x12

DB Curl
3x10

Good week of training. I don't wanna jinx it but i feel like my squat will be back soon. I'm currently still training on pain killers though.

[martin_mathers]

Squat
up to
315x6x3

Paused Bench
up to
285x2x5
didn't finish my 5 sets of 5. My shoulders and pecs were feeling like shiit so i shut it down early. Note to self: never bench on saturday again. Triples on wednesday should feel better.

Ab pulldown
3x20

Shiitty day. Right IT band was killing me. I'm starting to get my groove back on the squat though.

[martin_mathers]

Deadlift (beltess)
up to
485x9x1
I'm loving the beltless deads. I'll try to stay beltless for as long as possible. I'm a lot slower off the ground without a belt so that should help me with the speed off the ground when i put a belt on.

Paused Bench
up to
305x6x3
Pecs were feeling a bit better but still tight. Going to keep the weights the same next week on all 3 days. I'd like to stay within 80-85% for longer.

Chest supported rows
5x10

GHR
3x12

Didn't think i would be able to deadlift today cause my IT band pain was flaring up really bad yesterday. Could barely sleep.

[NorthStrong]

No speed off ground without a belt crew checkking in. I haven't considered going without one on my main DL, but I do beltless stuff for SLDLs. Strong benching mang.

[martin_mathers]

No speed off ground without a belt crew checkking in. I haven't considered going without one on my main DL, but I do beltless stuff for SLDLs. Strong benching mang.

Yea i used to be scared of deadlifting without a belt cause it felt so shiitty. Gonna go 495 beltless next week.


Squat
up to
325x3x2
Just when my glute is feeling better, my right IT band is hurting so fuucking much. I probably shouldn't have started squatting 2x a week cause i don't think I'm quite ready for that yet, given i was injured for so long. So i'm going to just squat once a week now and take it easy.

Bench
up to
285x5x5

Rows
4x15

I don't know whats going on with my IT Band. Most ppl say its because of weak glutes but I'm pretty sure thats not the case cause i deadlift sumo and i do tons of reverse hypers and GHR. I feel like its some kind of inflammation cause it doesn't feel tight but its a burning pain. I also stretch it pretty regularly.

Hopefully squatting once a week right now will ease off the pain a bit so i can keep training.

[izzygrant]

good to see some free squats in here bro. when my IT band acts up, getting a lacrosse ball into the hip insertions on that side seems to help it calm down a lot.

[martin_mathers]

good to see some free squats in here bro. when my IT band acts up, getting a lacrosse ball into the hip insertions on that side seems to help it calm down a lot.

Gotta stay careful with the squat training now, but yea i'll get on that asap!


Trained at Fortis today!

OHP
up to
145x5x5
Right shoulder bugging me today so i didn't go AMRAP on the last set.

Close grip bench (no leg drive due to quad pain)
135x2x10
185x2x10
205x2x10
225x10

Facepulls
4x20

Good to be back at fortis. I'll be training there full time again at the end of august. I said i wasn't gonna bench on saturday again but i just really felt like it lol and i wanted to get some tricep work in. at least i kept it real light. My right quad and IT band were really bugging me today after driving from waterloo to toronto.

Theres this meet on October 25 that I really wanna compete at. I'll have to see how my quad holds up for the next 2-3 weeks. My squat will probably not be back to where it was but right now i just want to squat pain free. If that happens within the next 2-3 weeks then i might do the meet.

[martin_mathers]

Tried squatting today and my right quad was just hurting too much. Then i fuucked around with some light front squats and high bar and it still hurt so i just called it quits.

Bench
up to
285x5x5
Finally five very easy sets of five reps. They weren't as smooth last week so i decided to stick with the same weight this week. Not being able to squat also pissed me off a bit so that helped.

Rows
5x10

Ab pulldown
3x20

I'm going to take the next 2-3 weeks off from squatting. I also won't be doing any direct leg work at all because right now even standing up from a chair hurts. This might be more than just IT band pain because it comes from beneath my quad muscles.

[martin_mathers]

Deadlift no belt
up to
495x9x1
Pretty sure 495 is a beltless PR. First single was so damn fast i would've gone for a 1RM but i didn't bring my belt. Slowed down quite a bit on my last couple singles though. I wanna work towards a beltless 545-555 pull if my lower back can handle it. Then i'll put a belt on and go for an all time PR.

Bench
up to
305x6x3

GHR against green band
4x10
oh my hammies

Facepulls
4x15

Great day. A guy pulled 635 easy right next to me when i was training today. And he looked like he weighed under 170. Love it when theres strong people around the gym, just makes the atmosphere so much better.

[izzygrant]

nice pulls! which meet are you looking at?

[martin_mathers]

nice pulls! which meet are you looking at?

I was looking at the CPF Amateur Open in Newmarket ON. But judging from how my right quad is doing I don't think I'll be able to compete, cause they don't have push/pull.

[martin_mathers]

Did some front squats with bar and 135 just to stretch my quad and glute a bit.

Bench
up to
285x6x5
sore shoulders

Pullups
4x10

Ab Wheel
4x12

Everything was stiff as hell today. Taking tomorrow off.

[martin_mathers]

Super light wide stance squats to stretch lower body
some sets x some reps

Bench
up to
290x5x5

Rows
4x10

Side raise
3x12

Meh. Easy day but finals are coming up in two days. I'm not that focused during training right now.

[martin_mathers]

Deadlift no belt
up to
510x5x1 beltless PR
Didn't feel like pushing myself too much today so i only did 5 singles. Plus I'm adding 15lbs next week so i thought i'd take it easy this week.

Bench
up to
310x6x3

Pullups
4x10

GHR against green band
4x10

Feeling good today. Very excited to attempt an all-time PR without a belt in about 5 weeks.