Derek Charlebois' 2016 Training Journal- PR-BREAKER!

Hello everyone. A quick update, I ended up not being able to compete in the meet on 4/16 due to injuring my lower back 9 days prior to the meet. It was kind of a fluke injury. After competing my deadlift workout, worked up to 655 X 1 and then 3 singles with 585, I decided to tighten my Inzer lever belt a notch because it was feeling pretty loose. So I did that and then tried to pull 455 and as soon as I pulled the weight off the ground I strained something in my lower back pretty badly. Basically my belt was TOO TIGHT and caused me to strain something. I woke up the next day and could barely walk. I worked on my back all weekend and it was getting better surprisingly quickly, but I decided it would be best not to risk it and not do the meet. So now 3 weeks later my back feels good and I am resuming my normal training.

And with that said LEGGO!

Monday 5/2/16

Bench Press
225 X 6
245 X 6
265 X 6
285 X 6
265 X 6
245 X 6
225 X 6

Seated Military Press with Football Bar (Parallel Handles)
3 X 8

Dips
3 X 8

Lat-Pulldown
3 X 8-12

Bent Over Row
3 X 8-12

Barbell Curl
3 X 8-12

Macros:
Protein = 225g
Carbs = 300g
Fat = 100g

I will post more detail on everything this week, I wanted to get this journal up and rolling!

Strong work!

5/3/16
Squats
315 X 5
345 X 5
365 X 5
385 X 5
405 X 5

Given that it has only been a few weeks since I strained my lower back, I did not think I was going to go this heavy today! I was thinking MAYBE 365 X 5 at most. I am very happy that my back is healing so quickly; I had ZERO pain today. I decided not to do any back-off/volume sets today and ended squats at 405. Normally I would work up to a max weight for a specified rep and then decrease the weight and perform more sets to get in more volume.

DB Goblet Squat
3 X 12

Single Leg Leg Press
3 X 12

Glute-Ham Raise
3 X 12

GHR Sit-Up
3 X 12

I am very pleased with how squats went today and am feeling very positive that my strength will be climbing again!

Glad you are starting a new journal. Your journals actually are a good resource for some of us ex-team sci guys.

BTW, we will be expecting an updated pic of the power wave, as in your last journal

[QUOTE=cully;1440337391]Glad you are starting a new journal. Your journals actually are a good resource for some of us ex-team sci guys.

BTW, we will be expecting an updated pic of the power wave, as in your last journal[/QUOTE]

LMAO X 1,000,000! The power wave is gone (I'm actually still laughing right now).

5-5-16

Standing Military Press
145 X 5, 5, 5
Standing overhead pressing strength is way down as I haven't done this movement in a while.

Lat-Pulldown (Wide Grip Parallel Handles)
3 X 12

Close Grip Bench Press
225 X 5, 5, 5
Left shoulder was feeling a little achy so kept it on the lighter side here. The third set felt better than the first two (was rolling my shoulder with a lacrosse ball between sets).

T-Bar Row
3 X 8

Flat DB Press
3 X 12

Alternating DB Curl
3 X 12

I took a video of the DB Curls because I was feeling the pump: [url]https://www.instagram.com/p/BFCCwnsI0JO/?taken-by=derekcharlebois[/url]

5/6/16

Deadlift (Hook Grip)
505 for 5 singles
This was my third workout using the hook grip. Its not too bad... just feels like my thumb is going to get ripped off LOL. I will say that using the double overhand grip feels way better overall so I plan on sticking with the hook grip (so long as my thumbs hold up). I think moving forward I will do a few sets using the hook grip and then use my versa straps, once my thumbs have had enough, to get more volume in.

Stiff Leg Deadlift
5 X 8

Reverse Hyper-Extension
3 X 12

Lying Leg Curl
3 X 12

Shrugs
3 X 12

No back pain this week, which is priority #1. I will continue doing the big 3 only once a week for the next couple of weeks and then I will resume my normal style of training. Things are looking good!

5/9/26

Bench Press
235 X 5
255 X 5
275 X 5
295 X 5
275 X 5

Last week I hit 285 X 6 so this week's goal was 295 X 5 and I was able to hit that with probably another rep or two in the tank. My left pec/delt has been a little tight lately so I didn't try to push it past 295 today.

Football Bar Seated Military Press
3 X 6

Dips
3 X 8-12

Lat-Pulldown
3 X 8-12

Bent Over Row
3 X 8

Barbell Curl
3 X 8-12

As you can see I am training 4X a week and following an upper/lower split. Each workout has a strength focus exercise (Bench, Deadlift, Standing Military Press, Squats) and then additional higher rep assistance/hypertrophy work added in.

I snapped a post-workout swolfie when I got home from the gym to show my current back condition at around 205-207 lbs (was 205 a couple weeks ago but I have been eating too much LOL)
[img]http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t15/derekcharlebois/IMG_0330_zpsz6jfzwmh.jpg[/img]

5/10/16

Squats
365 X 5
385 X 5
405 X 5
425 X 3

My goal today was actually 415 X 4, but things were feeling good so I called a little audible and went up to 425 for a triple. One thing I did, which I haven't done in a long time, is used the "Hip Circle" during my warm-up sets.

You can see a video my warm-up here: [url]https://www.instagram.com/p/BFPBSS9o0F4/?taken-by=derekcharlebois[/url]

Hack Squat
3 X 8-12

Leg Extensions
3 X 8-12

Glute-Ham Raise
3 X 12

GHR Sit-Up
3 X 12

Pretty straight forward workout. 1 "strength" movement and 2 "hypertrophy" movements for the quads followed by some core/lower back work. No lower back issues. Everything is progressing well!

Post-workout quad pump!
[img]http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t15/derekcharlebois/IMG_0350_zps6qzxsajx.jpg[/img]

5/12/16

Standing Military Press
145 X 6, 6, 6

Lat-Pulldown
3 X 8-12

DB Shoulder Press
3 X 8-12

T-Bar Row
3 X 8-12

Alternating DB Curl
3 X 8-12

Tricep Pressdown
3 X 8-12

5/13/16

Deadlift
Worked up to a single with 605.
Video of 585 here: [url]https://www.instagram.com/p/BFW8cxSo0Go/?taken-by=derekcharlebois[/url]

Stiff Leg Deadlift
3 X 8-12

Reverse Hyper-Extension
3 X 12

Lying Leg Curl
3 X 8-12

I will post up this week's training shortly. I wanted to get caught up with the previous week, which I had forgotten to post.

[QUOTE=Beast;1441155661]5/9/26

Bench Press
235 X 5
255 X 5
275 X 5
295 X 5
275 X 5

Last week I hit 285 X 6 so this week's goal was 295 X 5 and I was able to hit that with probably another rep or two in the tank. My left pec/delt has been a little tight lately so I didn't try to push it past 295 today.

Football Bar Seated Military Press
3 X 6

Dips
3 X 8-12

Lat-Pulldown
3 X 8-12

Bent Over Row
3 X 8

Barbell Curl
3 X 8-12

As you can see I am training 4X a week and following an upper/lower split. Each workout has a strength focus exercise (Bench, Deadlift, Standing Military Press, Squats) and then additional higher rep assistance/hypertrophy work added in.

I snapped a post-workout swolfie when I got home from the gym to show my current back condition at around 205-207 lbs (was 205 a couple weeks ago but I have been eating too much LOL)
[img]http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t15/derekcharlebois/IMG_0330_zpsz6jfzwmh.jpg[/img][/QUOTE]


monster!

[quote=schneppy07;1443780021]monster![/quote]

whaddup homie!

I got behind on keeping my journal here due to traveling and other business ventures, but I am starting back up this week.

PR UPDATE!
I did hit a new Deadlift PR 2 weeks ago of 655 lbs on the stiff bar (have done 680 on the deadlift bar, which makes the movement easier).

[img]http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t15/derekcharlebois/IMG_5288%202_zps58prmcxx.png[/img]