NorthStrong's Training Log

[izzygrant]

haha. it's all just people who talk funny though right?!

nice pr, looks like you oughta have another 5-10 on your max now

[MouthForWar]

Holy chit man, you just keep smashing PR's! I need to step my game up... and 5x10 on CGBP after your bench work must destroy your triceps... just a question, is lockout your weakness on bench and OHP? For me it definitely is, today on OHP I was literally a third of a rep away from setting a PR, then I just failed when all that was left was for me to extend my elbows a bit and I would have hit a PR. Wendler is a huge fan of dips, and I've started hitting those hard in the hope that they'll help with my tricep strength.

[NorthStrong]

Nice bench PR!

Thanks man, looking forward to seeing your meet results!

Nice benching bro gains gains gains

hehehheehe, thanks man, been impressed as hell by your log lately!

haha. it's all just people who talk funny though right?!

nice pr, looks like you oughta have another 5-10 on your max now

sh. fk u izzer. I went to Ontario once and people told me I talk funny . And my estimated max has been at exactly 240 for the last 3 sessions, and 239 the session before that LOL. Waaahh, wahhh, plateau. Just kidding tho, very happy with bench being at 240 now. And I do believe it should be about there, maybe less paused, because the 1RM formula has worked for me perfectly so far, when I tested with a true 1RM. I have a long way to go on the bench to get it to where I want it to be for the meet though..

Holy chit man, you just keep smashing PR's! I need to step my game up... and 5x10 on CGBP after your bench work must destroy your triceps... just a question, is lockout your weakness on bench and OHP? For me it definitely is, today on OHP I was literally a third of a rep away from setting a PR, then I just failed when all that was left was for me to extend my elbows a bit and I would have hit a PR. Wendler is a huge fan of dips, and I've started hitting those hard in the hope that they'll help with my tricep strength.

Yeah the close grips definitely hit the triceps hard. And honestly, on the bench I don't think I have a weak point so much as I am just weak on the bench. But getting stronger! For OHP my problem is lockout though, I stall just above the head, that could be a technique thing too though. Dips should work well, I think that they hit all parts of the triceps pretty evenly, and I get a great contraction from them.

[baxtej44]

Holy chit man, you just keep smashing PR's! I need to step my game up... and 5x10 on CGBP after your bench work must destroy your triceps... just a question, is lockout your weakness on bench and OHP? For me it definitely is, today on OHP I was literally a third of a rep away from setting a PR, then I just failed when all that was left was for me to extend my elbows a bit and I would have hit a PR. Wendler is a huge fan of dips, and I've started hitting those hard in the hope that they'll help with my tricep strength.

i'm going to be doing 5x10 dips twice a week on my pressing days until i can easily finish all of the reps. i'm sort of close to that now, but towards the last couple of reps on the last couple of sets i have to dig deep sometimes. dips are the pushing equivalent of pullups/chinups in my opinion.

[MouthForWar]

Yeah the close grips definitely hit the triceps hard. And honestly, on the bench I don't think I have a weak point so much as I am just weak on the bench. But getting stronger! For OHP my problem is lockout though, I stall just above the head, that could be a technique thing too though. Dips should work well, I think that they hit all parts of the triceps pretty evenly, and I get a great contraction from them.

i'm going to be doing 5x10 dips twice a week on my pressing days until i can easily finish all of the reps. i'm sort of close to that now, but towards the last couple of reps on the last couple of sets i have to dig deep sometimes. dips are the pushing equivalent of pullups/chinups in my opinion.

Alright, thanks for the info guys... not to hijack your log, but I have another question. I started 5/3/1 for DL and Squat a few weeks before I did for Bench and OHP, so for squats and deadlifts I'm on the 3rd cycle with 5/3/1 week coming up, but for the bench and OHP, I just completed cycle 2. So far I have not deloaded at all but I'm pretty sure I need one now as I haven't been doing quite as well recently. Do you think it would be ok to also deload for squats and deadlifts despite the fact that I haven't completed the 3rd cycle for them? I would take a deload week for all lifts, then start cycle 3 for Bench and OHP, and finish the last week of cycle 3 for squats and deadlifts.

[NorthStrong]

i'm going to be doing 5x10 dips twice a week on my pressing days until i can easily finish all of the reps. i'm sort of close to that now, but towards the last couple of reps on the last couple of sets i have to dig deep sometimes. dips are the pushing equivalent of pullups/chinups in my opinion.

Totally, dips are great. And dips to chins should be about a 1:1 I think for most people, although most people will have more strength potential on the dips.

Alright, thanks for the info guys... not to hijack your log, but I have another question. I started 5/3/1 for DL and Squat a few weeks before I did for Bench and OHP, so for squats and deadlifts I'm on the 3rd cycle with 5/3/1 week coming up, but for the bench and OHP, I just completed cycle 2. So far I have not deloaded at all but I'm pretty sure I need one now as I haven't been doing quite as well recently. Do you think it would be ok to also deload for squats and deadlifts despite the fact that I haven't completed the 3rd cycle for them? I would take a deload week for all lifts, then start cycle 3 for Bench and OHP, and finish the last week of cycle 3 for squats and deadlifts.

If I were you I would just do the 5/3/1 week for your squat and deadlift, and do some bodybuilding days for your upper body, then after that just do a regular deload, then movve into the 5s week for all the lifts after that since they'll all be on schedule.

[tom11]

Totally, dips are great. And dips to chins should be about a 1:1 I think for most people, although most people will have more strength potential on the dips.



If I were you I would just do the 5/3/1 week for your squat and deadlift, and do some bodybuilding days for your upper body, then after that just do a regular deload, then movve into the 5s week for all the lifts after that since they'll all be on schedule.

I agree dips are a great exercise, in the first 1-2 years of my training I could do them just fine but now I am sure something in my shoulder isn't alright when I do them, clicking and some pain. Dips destroyed many other people's shoulders aswell so be careful. Bench press has a reputation of shoulder killer but dips while they don't have this name, they are certainly dangerous. That being said, if I could do them I would still do them, they feel great and give you a HUGE pump...

Btw dips and chins should not be 1:1, a normal person who can do 10 chins should be able to do 20+ dips, you press about 70-80% of your bodyweight only in dips.

[NorthStrong]

531 C6W3 Deadlift

Agile 8 + Jump Rope
Box Jumps 3x2
Deadlift 235x5, 270x3, 300x5
Squat 3x10 - 185
Stiff Leg Deadlift 3x10 - 135
Hanging Leg Raise 3x10
s/s
GHR 3x5

Today was decent considering the circumstances. I should have slept a lot more last night, not drank as much rum/beer, and eaten more food before the session. All that aside I am pretty happy with 300x5. The squats were awful, I like doing them in the higher rep range. Stiff legs were low back and glute/ham murder.

Was not too focused on the deadlifts today and they were not as good formwise as they should have been otherwise. Anyway, can't have all great sessions, but this one was ceratintly not bad. Press tomorrow.

I agree dips are a great exercise, in the first 1-2 years of my training I could do them just fine but now I am sure something in my shoulder isn't alright when I do them, clicking and some pain. Dips destroyed many other people's shoulders aswell so be careful. Bench press has a reputation of shoulder killer but dips while they don't have this name, they are certainly dangerous. That being said, if I could do them I would still do them, they feel great and give you a HUGE pump...

Btw dips and chins should not be 1:1, a normal person who can do 10 chins should be able to do 20+ dips, you press about 70-80% of your bodyweight only in dips.

Yeah I sorta meant that when I said they had a bigger strength potential. I don't do them anymore just cuz I prefer to do my pressing with a barbell because it probably helps the bench more. I get no shoulder pain from either though, which is nice. Thanks for stopping by!

[tom11]

531 C6W3 Deadlift

Agile 8 + Jump Rope
Box Jumps 3x2
Deadlift 235x5, 270x3, 300x5
Squat 3x10 - 185
Stiff Leg Deadlift 3x10 - 135
Hanging Leg Raise 3x10
s/s
GHR 3x5

Today was decent considering the circumstances. I should have slept a lot more last night, not drank as much rum/beer, and eaten more food before the session. All that aside I am pretty happy with 300x5. The squats were awful, I like doing them in the higher rep range. Stiff legs were low back and glute/ham murder.

Was not too focused on the deadlifts today and they were not as good formwise as they should have been otherwise. Anyway, can't have all great sessions, but this one was ceratintly not bad. Press tomorrow.



Yeah I sorta meant that when I said they had a bigger strength potential. I don't do them anymore just cuz I prefer to do my pressing with a barbell because it probably helps the bench more. I get no shoulder pain from either though, which is nice. Thanks for stopping by!

Hehe, actually I have been watching your log for quite a bit and you have made nice progress! One thing I can say for sure, get strong as fuk at weighted chinups because they will help your bench and deadlift A LOT, at least they did with mine. Plus they will make your lats look like fooking baloons, at least they did with mine

[NorthStrong]

Hehe, actually I have been watching your log for quite a bit and you have made nice progress! One thing I can say for sure, get strong as fuk at weighted chinups because they will help your bench and deadlift A LOT, at least they did with mine. Plus they will make your lats look like fooking baloons, at least they did with mine

Oh lol, well thanks for following along lol. I haven't ever actually done a weighted chin up, but I do a lot of volume on them 2x per week. I am getting fatter and heavier right now so hopefully that counts as weighted LOL. I'd be happy with anything helping my deadlifts now. Bench has been moving tho!

[dabucche]

Hehe, actually I have been watching your log for quite a bit and you have made nice progress! One thing I can say for sure, get strong as fuk at weighted chinups because they will help your bench and deadlift A LOT, at least they did with mine. Plus they will make your lats look like fooking baloons, at least they did with mine

Well Northstrong said his lockout is stronger than off the floor, so in theory his back should be stronger than his legs. BUT his squat is stronger than his deadlift. A juicy paradox. My hypothesis is that you (Northstrong) should post up a video of your deadlift, I'm thinking your technique off the floor is lacking.

[tom11]

Well Northstrong said his lockout is stronger than off the floor, so in theory his back should be stronger than his legs. BUT his squat is stronger than his deadlift. A juicy paradox. My hypothesis is that you (Northstrong) should post up a video of your deadlift, I'm thinking your technique off the floor is lacking.

I am the same, if the bar moves even 1 inch from the ground I can lock out it (even sometimes it won't look pretty). Front squats help a lot for strength off the ground. But even if his back is strong, it will never hurt him making it stronger. Especially considering that it helps on the bench too.

Oh lol, well thanks for following along lol. I haven't ever actually done a weighted chin up, but I do a lot of volume on them 2x per week. I am getting fatter and heavier right now so hopefully that counts as weighted LOL. I'd be happy with anything helping my deadlifts now. Bench has been moving tho!

Yes, volume is good at them. In fact, this is exactly how I trained them, added extra weight only when I could do 5 sets of 10 with good form and with 4 minute max rest times. After this point I don't think there is a point of doing them unweighed though...

[NorthStrong]

Well Northstrong said his lockout is stronger than off the floor, so in theory his back should be stronger than his legs. BUT his squat is stronger than his deadlift. A juicy paradox. My hypothesis is that you (Northstrong) should post up a video of your deadlift, I'm thinking your technique off the floor is lacking.

Haha I will when I can, I can't film at this gym without going through a big process first, but at the one at home I can record there so I will do that when I go home for the holidays. In fact I should be able to get a lot of videos of me benching, squatting and deadlifting. It's not as if I'm really weak off the floor and super strong at lockout, when things get heavy it's overall just hard. Actually today at lockout was hard, but that's because my form was off so I think I compromised my position and ended up paying for it at lockout.

I am the same, if the bar moves even 1 inch from the ground I can lock out it (even sometimes it won't look pretty). Front squats help a lot for strength off the ground. But even if his back is strong, it will never hurt him making it stronger. Especially considering that it helps on the bench too.

Yes, volume is good at them. In fact, this is exactly how I trained them, added extra weight only when I could do 5 sets of 10 with good form and with 4 minute max rest times. After this point I don't think there is a point of doing them unweighed though...

I'm pretty strong at certain back movements but I am absolutely brutal at bent over rows with a barbell, and I am not good at rack pulls either which are both pretty hard back movements. I might try and figure out how to put them in the plan, perhaps doing the rack pulls after squatting, or something like that. IDK. And bent over rows are another lift where I don't know where to put them. I do DB rows for my heavy lat work because doesn't stress the low back which is already working quite a lot throughout the week.

[tom11]

I'm pretty strong at certain back movements but I am absolutely brutal at bent over rows with a barbell, and I am not good at rack pulls either which are both pretty hard back movements. I might try and figure out how to put them in the plan, perhaps doing the rack pulls after squatting, or something like that. IDK. And bent over rows are another lift where I don't know where to put them. I do DB rows for my heavy lat work because doesn't stress the low back which is already working quite a lot throughout the week.

Only back work I do is weighed chins, db rows and facepulls to be honest mostly. No rackpulls and certainly no barbell rows, they may be a good exercise but my lower back simply can't recover from them AND deadlift and squat heavy the same week. Db rows = win.

[Filmbuff81]

Rum always makes for a great pre workout.

[runtocatch]

Rum always makes for a great pre workout.

Wait...what?

[NorthStrong]

531 C6W3 Press

Band Shoulder Warmup
Press 100x5, 110x3, 125x7 PR
Close Grip Bench 3x5 - 155
DB Inclines 3x10 - 50s
Pullups 50 Total
DB Row 2x10 - 75s, 1x10 - 100s PR
Poundstone Curls 30 reps

Solid workout today, it was supposed to be Friday but things were off track, but back to normal now. So another PR, which is nice. Close grips felt "EASY!!!!" (tm Rubish, 2009) today. DB Inclines sucked because I suck at them, so I am throwing DB work back in the mix 2x a week. Happy with DB row PR. The poundstone curls were cool too.

I did sumo deadlifts for the second time ever today, and I did a few reps of deficit deadlifts as well, I do these standing on a yellow 15 Kilo plate. Going to be doing deficits for high reps on squat day, and sumo rack pulls a bit heavier on deadlift day after the main work. Decided to incorporate these after reading some more of Dan Green's stuff. Assistance is actually different than I had planned about a week back but IDGAF. I'm doing paused squats after squats, then deficits. Incline after bench, then DB press. Sumo rack pulls to build the hips after deadlift, then front squats. Close grips after press, then DB inclines. Come at me brah.

Once the meet gets closer (like 2 cycles away) I'll start doing the competition lifts more often to work the technique more, but for now I figure I should keep things pretty general, and just focus on getting stronger, and then focus on getting better when the meet approaches.

Also, there is about a 0% chance that I will make the 198 class for the meet I think...might have to talk to the guy running it and see if it's OK for me to just switch into the 220 class, because I really do not want to bother wasting my energy on a cut for my first meet lol.

SKWATS tomorrow

Only back work I do is weighed chins, db rows and facepulls to be honest mostly. No rackpulls and certainly no barbell rows, they may be a good exercise but my lower back simply can't recover from them AND deadlift and squat heavy the same week. Db rows = win.

Definitely, I do like DB rows a lot tho. Hit a PR on them today lol.

Rum always makes for a great pre workout.

Hahah, yeaahh..

Wait...what?

^^

Also, legal drinking age here is 19, 18 in Quebec lol. So no police.

[baxtej44]

yeah i would see if you can up your weight class. i definitely could have cut for my meet but i'm glad i didn't.

[budreiser2]

So many inclines u tryna bodybuild bro???

[NorthStrong]

yeah i would see if you can up your weight class. i definitely could have cut for my meet but i'm glad i didn't.

Just messaged him on FB and he said it was fine, and that you just get put in whatever class you weigh in at. He apparently runs very lifter friendly meets, so I am looking forward to competing there. This is the guy HamburgerTrain found the video of a while ago. Nice guy from what I can tell so far, and he pretty much single handedly brought powerlifting to Canada's East coast so I am definitely thankful of that!

So many inclines u tryna bodybuild bro???

Haha you know it! Nah I just wanna get strong at all types of pressing. If you notice, I have 2 flat presses, 2 overheads, and 2 inclines. Getting your shoulders chest and triceps can never hurt a bench lol. A lot of guys get some benefit from the inclines as well.

[izzygrant]

rum/beer = pre-workout carb loading

did you kill anyone with your sumos?

[budreiser2]

Lolz I'm just ball busting. being well rounded isn't a bad thing.

[NorthStrong]

rum/beer = pre-workout carb loading

did you kill anyone with your sumos?

Beer = lookin shredded as fuk in the morning after tho. Also every time I drink, I end up at a MacDonalds, so I'm gettin dat macros namsyain.

And yeah, nearly killed the guy benching one platform over from me. It was only a plate too...Dan Green has said that he doesn't recommend people to just try and do sumo from the floor when starting, instead he starts on 4 inch blocks, and works down. Even though I pull conventional, doing some overload training with the sumo rack pulls seems like it'll help a lot to build dem hips, and work on my turrible groin flexibility.

I hope he writes a "Pillars of the Bench" article too..his squat and deadlift ones were good.

I'm gonna work in a few variations for 3 cycles, then switch one out for another.

http://www.jtsstrength.com/articles/...adlift-part-1/

http://www.jtsstrength.com/articles/...pillars-squat/

Pretty much he says that a good deadlift is built on the pillars of a strong Sumo Block Pull, Conventional Deficits, and some other variations, 2 notably being rep max deadlifts which I do in the 5/3/1 work, and either round or straight back stiff legs, which I currently am not doing.

Then for squats he says a good raw squat is built on the pillars of a strong High Bar Squat (which I do in a few cycles from now), Pause Squats, Front Squats, and Low Bar squats (which is my 5/3/1 squat).

So I'll work on the sumo rack pull (no blocks here), and conventional deficits for DL, and pause squats and fronts for my squat. Then I'll sub in some stiff legs and high bars in a few cycles perhaps.

Lolz I'm just ball busting. being well rounded isn't a bad thing.

Hah I know, I just told my belly that it's good to be well rounded, I feel better now.

[psychodiver9]

Isn't your meet in June? Why can't you get to 198?

[NorthStrong]

Isn't your meet in June? Why can't you get to 198?

Yeah the meet is in June, but cutting would that mean I'd have to waste time cutting when I could be getting bigger and stronger and not worrying about it.

[kmc06005]

Why not cut and set WRs brah?

What is a Poundstone curl?

[NorthStrong]

Why not cut and set WRs brah?

What is a Poundstone curl?

No power sugar = no world record

poundstone curls = take empty bar and curl it till it hurts too much to do any more, some people can get like 100-200 reps. I got 30..

they're good for elbow health tho

[kmc06005]

No power sugar = no world record

poundstone curls = take empty bar and curl it till it hurts too much to do any more, some people can get like 100-200 reps. I got 30..

they're good for elbow health tho

Very cool. If they help them bows then I need to start doing them. Mine get very tight after heavy bench sessions.

InB4 9 reps...

[Filmbuff81]

Just go straight to SHW

[NorthStrong]

Very cool. If they help them bows then I need to start doing them. Mine get very tight after heavy bench sessions.

InB4 9 reps...

Haha I'm sure you'll get more than 9. But definitely good for da bows!

Here's some vids.



He just called them carter curls because 200 reps so I think he deserves it lolol

Just go straight to SHW

Haha, I think my best lifting will be in the 242s down the road, as long as I stay drug-free.