Working with Wenning: Road to Raw Nats

[scottyk31]

After a decent 1526 at the USAPL Eastern Regional I sat down and reviewed my meet videos. From my back breaking and rounding on squat, to a piss poor bench, and at least a PR had on deadlift I saw glaring issues that have slowed my progress.

My thought process moving Foreward was how in the world do I address my limiting weaknesses? Who better than Matt Wenning, the guy who made the highly touted so you think you can squat/deadlift series. So I contacted Matt and now am doing online training with him. If you are interested his website is wenningstrength.com.

I got a critique of my weakness and here are my concentrations:

Squat: hips lacking in support strength as well as upper back, super quad dominate
Bench: need tricep/upper back strength and overall size
Deadlift: glute activation needed, low back and hip strength low, need to engage Lats more

Matt has catered the program entirely to my needs. I will post up vids and some of the work I'm doing. Week 1 is already in the books so I will start with week 2. I'm signing up for Raw Nationals in October. The goal is 1600. I qualified as a SHW so I will not be cutting. Thanks for viewing and following along!

[scottyk31]

ME lower

3 lift circuit of shrugs, back extensions and decline sit ups.

SSB squat 1 sec pause on ultra low box. 8 sets building up to top set of 360

Deficit dead 5rm 514

Ghr 3 sets with 10lb weight

Banded abs- black band 4x25 pause at bottom

These squats were rough due to the low box and my sucking with the safety bar.

[CROMAGS1985]

Subbed.

Wenning/WSBB fan.

Good luck.

[scottyk31]

Subbed.

Wenning/WSBB fan.

Good luck.

Thanks I can say it looks like great programming, a lot different then when I tried to set up Wsbb

[scottyk31]

ME Upper

3 lift circuit to potentate weaknesses

Cg paused 3ct bench with lightened bands
313x2
346x2
357x2

DB incline rows 3x45 sec
Tri extensions, hammer curls, and lateral raises to round out the day

The pauses were tough but the lightened bands helped.

Also most of my lifts I don't convert to vid here but my Instagram sawmillpower275 has more videos if anyone is interested.

[scottyk31]

Forgot to mention a burnout set of bench after 175x31

[scottyk31]

DE lower

Squats 280x3 for 10 sets
Sumo pulls 357x1 10 sets
Stiff leg kb deads 3x1 minute
Reverse hyper 3x15
Sled drags 4x50 yards

[scottyk31]

DE bench

Circuit to potentate weakness
DB bench 4x25 40's, lat pulls 4x15

Bench 125x3 doubled minis 10 sets

Overhead tricep ext 3x 1 minute
Pull apart 100 total
Rope swings

Feeling good and strong got some fun stuff next week, will post vids of those lifts

[scottyk31]

Video recap of the week

[scottyk31]

ME lower

3 lift circuit of wide stance KB, back raises, and decline sit ups

Squats with 120 lbs of chain 5rm
365x5, 400x5, 430x5
Thick bar deadlift 5rm
450 double overhand

Ghr 2 to failure - 16 reps, 12 reps
Cable crunches 3x20
Back raises 3x8 3-3 tempo

[scottyk31]

ME Upper

3 lift circuit to potentate weakness

Cg bench with pause fat bar work to 90%
293x1, 315x1, 321x1 smoked it
Dropped to 205 3xfail reps 16, 12, 7

Band press downs, one arm rows, reverse curls

Very excited about my progress

[scottyk31]

DE lower
Sled dragging

Ss yoke bar speed squat with pause 8x2 working up to 225

Sumo deads speed 10x3 45 sec rest 245

Good mornings 3x45 sec 135, 145, 155

Leg raises 3x1 min

Shrugs

[scottyk31]

DE upper
Bench 135 against double minis 10x3 all close grips
Tricep press downs 3x1 min
Pull a parts 100


ME lower
Front squat with pause
Used 120 in chains worked up to 225 for 3. Dropped the bar on 265. The damn chains pulled me forward, I hate front squats
Stiff leg sumos worked up to 425x6
Pull through- 3x1 minute
Sled work

Sucks having the miss on front squats. It's clearly an upper back issue which has been plaguing me for a while in my lifting. Hate the numbers but I am sure it will help me improve my weak point

[scottyk31]

ME upper
3 lift circuit
Reverse band bench 3rm
345, 357, 363x3
Drop weight to 180 did close grip paused with slingshot to failure x2
Pull ups
Lateral raises

Feeling stronger in the upper body as of late which I really need

[scottyk31]

DE lower
Squat to box 313x2 8 sets
Leg curls 3xfail with strong band
Front squats 135x10 set 1-1sec pause set 2- 2 sec pause, set 3-3 sec pause

The front squat with pauses sucked ass. I got a deload coming up with a 2rm squat in a week time to see the progress

[scottyk31]

DE upper
Speed bench 135x3 doubled minisx10 sets
Incline DB bench 2xfail with 50's
Pull aparts 100
DB rear delt rows 200 reps

This is the end of the first part of this training cycle. Notable things my upper back is much stronger and engaged during my bench. I'm visibly leaner although maintains weight. I have done more spine and ab work than I have ever done so I'm hoping this translates to a better squat and deadlift. My spine is my limiting factor at the moment

[scottyk31]

Done a deload and back to work

ME Lower
Squat 2rm, 489, 511 tied a PR but still had upper back roll over
Sumo Pin dead from 3rd pin 557x3
Ghr to fail 20 reps, 12 reps
Oblique and ab work

Sucks to only tie a PR but it's not a bad thing either for being 5 weeks into a program. Looking at the programming coming up I think I will be able to address my issues to get my squat rolling

[scottyk31]

ME Upper
3 lift circuit

Slingshot cg bench off 2 bd.
worked up to 363x2 starting with 275x2, took 8 sets

Cg bench 275x5, 4

DB row worked up to 100's x10
Tri extensions 3x45 sec

Decent session next week is close grip paused

[scottyk31]

DE Lower

Sled drags 4x50 yards
Reverse hypers

Squat 10x3 with 225 1 sec pause
High pulls 8x2 225 this was new to me and awkward
Front squat with pause 135x10 for 4 sets, I hate these
Leg curls 2xfail
Sumo 4x20

[USMARINE8152]

Sub. Nice to see you back again.

[USMARINE8152]

Wtf is a rear delt db rows

[scottyk31]

It's like a dumbbell row but the arms are perpendicular to the body (elbows out)

[CROMAGS1985]

Nice work Scott. 225 high pull X lots is pretty decent for being new to the exercise IMO.

[scottyk31]

Thanks Cromags, I'm trying to get another video of my week together as well.

DE Upper
2 lift circuit

Speed bench with pause 10x3
Seated overheads work slowly to 8rm
Took 6 sets to get to 135. Had to use a folding chair which is not ideal for this

DB fold ins 3x1 min
100 pull aparts
Forearm work

[scottyk31]

[scottyk31]

Forgot to update but here are some highlights

ME lower plus 120 in chain hit 423x3 paused

ME upper CG 315x2 paused with ultra close grip

On DE lower I had to take a deadlift against mini bands draped over to the bar. Hit 580 on this which is ****ing awesome

Then this week is a deload

[scottyk31]

Homegym tour

[scottyk31]

Deload week over!

ME Lower
Reverse band off box squat
455x2
489x2
523x2

Pin pull off of pin 5 with 120# of chain
425x1
513x1
557x0 just missed locking out 677 at the top

Ghr 3xfail
Ab work

Still doing 3 lift circuits before I lift as well. I feel I'm starting to adapt to that. Was happy with both lifts today.

[USMARINE8152]

Good **** as always. Go figure I tweaked my hip doing sumo deficit pulls. Had 405 plus 200 pounds in chains and my hip said **** you.....can still do some close stance squats so MURCIA!
I MISS YOU....NO HOMO

[scottyk31]

Any kind of hip problem is a problem hopefully you can work it out.

DE Lower

Was a leg press day 6x20
Decline sit ups
Close stance leg press 4x25

Nice burn today brah.....seriously I had to take what felt like a field trip to the commercial gym. I instantly remembered why I left those places

DE bench
Doubled monsters 145x3 10 sets
Fold ins 3 x 1 min
Pull aparts
5 min of forearms

Big week this week then a little back off the next before a taper and test