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[B][U]December 30, 2020[/U][/B]
[U]Dynamic Bench: Close Grip Pin Press[/U]
[B]115 pounds - 6 sets x 3 reps[/B]
My idea behind this is that a close grip bench press is primarily meant to work triceps. The first couple of inches off the chest don't do much to work the triceps at all, and mostly uses chest strength. Doing a pin press, where the bar is about 3 inches off the chest at the bottom, puts the focus on the triceps much more.
I kind of prefer using exercises that that work multiple muscle groups (more bang for the buck). But I can see this being a good exercise on a day where I'm already doing a fair amount of chest work.
[U]Dynamic Bench: Larsen Press[/U]
[B]115 pounds - 6 sets x 3 reps[/B]
For those that don't know, this is a bench press with feet kept straight and hanging over the end of the bench. It removes leg drive, forcing the movement to rely on chest and shoulder strength. My back started cramping up for the first time ever while lifting, so that took me by surprise, lol. It's actually probably a really good companion to the close grip pin press.
I'll have a couple of rest days now, and should be super fresh for my Max Effort Squat and Bench days this weekend.
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Enjoy the rest days. I love to hit the triceps after my chest is smoked. I think the CG Pin press is a great idea! I like where your head is at about hitting all the muscles in the least amount of movement. Get in and get out kinda mentality
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Happy New Year CW! Wishing you the best.
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[QUOTE=Raigs;1627177813]Enjoy the rest days. I love to hit the triceps after my chest is smoked. I think the CG Pin press is a great idea! I like where your head is at about hitting all the muscles in the least amount of movement. Get in and get out kinda mentality[/QUOTE]
The rest days did me some good, especially since I was short of sleep as well.
[QUOTE=JohnButz;1627178833]Happy New Year CW! Wishing you the best.[/QUOTE]
Thank you sir! Happy New Year to you as well. :D
[B][U]January 2, 2021[/U][/B]
Feels weird to type 2021, and I'll probably mess that up a few times over the coming weeks, lol.
[U]Max Effort Lower: Trap Bar Deadlift - Low Handle[/U]
[B]335 pounds x 1 rep[/B]
This was around a 9 RPE. Moved fairly slowly. I failed it once, but only because my grip gave out. The handle is bigger than a normal barbell, and I just couldn't hold on to it. Ended up using straps for the second attempt. I've never come close to a max lift on this exercise, so this will be a good starting point to build on in the future. I need more practice with it, because it feels really awkward right now.
[U]Wide Stance Deadlift w/Snatch Grip[/U]
[B]225 pounds - 5 sets x 5 reps[/B]
Really like this lift. I should be able to add weight to these over the coming weeks.
[U]Banded Hamstring Curl[/U]
[B]Mini Band - 2 sets x 12 reps[/B]
Wasn't able to get the bands setup in a way that really felt right. I'll do some more experiments with this in the future.
[U]12 inch Step Up[/U]
[B]45 pounds - 1 set x 12 reps[/B]
Changed over to these after not feeling much benefit from the banded ham curls. They worked well, and I'll keep them in for a few more weeks. Unfortunately I can't do anything higher than 12 inches without hitting my head on the low ceiling. I may need to do these on the upper level of the house...
[U]Meadows Row[/U]
[B]45 pounds - 3 sets x 12 reps[/B]
Video shows the 335 pound deadlift, and one set of the Wide Stance Wide Grip Deadlifts.
[youtube]o0z08NJEGlA[/youtube]
I've started ranking supplemental and accessory lifts into Tiers based upon how effective they are for me. I'll reference this before each workout, as I'm selecting my exercises for that day. I'll be updating the list after each cycle, and I think this will really help me in the long term to be sure I'm programming in exercises that work well for me, and actually paying attention to how well each exercise actually works over the course of weeks and/or cycles. I also have included a list of exercises that I want to try, so I'll sprinkle those in here and there, and then be able to add them to my tier list as well.
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Just been reading through your log. Fantastic progress. Look forward to see where you get in 2021
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Really strong workout.
I love meadows rows. I hammered them a ton this past year.
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I like wide stance snatch grip DL too. Some call it the Candito deadlift. I stand a bit narrower than you do. Too wide and I feel too much quads for my target with that lift. It's like a more comfortable deficit DL.
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[QUOTE=safcpaul;1627294493]Just been reading through your log. Fantastic progress. Look forward to see where you get in 2021[/QUOTE]
Thanks man! I appreciate it, and I'm looking forward to seeing where I can get to in 2021 too. ;)
[QUOTE=Filmbuff81;1627303413]Really strong workout.
I love meadows rows. I hammered them a ton this past year.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, I just tried them for the first time like 2 months ago, and fell in love with them right away. They work the upper back in a way that no other lift (that I've found) does. I expect them to be a staple in my programming for quite a while.
[QUOTE=ECGordyn;1627307533]I like wide stance snatch grip DL too. Some call it the Candito deadlift. I stand a bit narrower than you do. Too wide and I feel too much quads for my target with that lift. It's like a more comfortable deficit DL.[/QUOTE]
Yes, I'm still trying to figure out what stance width is going to be best for me. I did every set with a slightly different width today to get a feel for it. And yeah, I had done a snatch grip deadlift once before, but then recently saw one of Mr. Candito's videos on it and decided to try it out with a wider stance. I'm a fan of it - a big fan. :)
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Awesome Deadlift! Very strong work.
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That 335 was with a trap bar? You got a pic of the trap bar? I only ask cause it looks like you were setup and pulling a normal deadlift.
But regardless of the bar, great work on that pull and the 225 wide pulls. You made them all look fairly quick and kept your form despite the high RPE number!
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[QUOTE=JohnButz;1627343893]Awesome Deadlift! Very strong work.[/QUOTE]
Thank you brother. :)
[QUOTE=400Lb Gorilla;1627356683]That 335 was with a trap bar? You got a pic of the trap bar? I only ask cause it looks like you were setup and pulling a normal deadlift.
But regardless of the bar, great work on that pull and the 225 wide pulls. You made them all look fairly quick and kept your form despite the high RPE number![/QUOTE]
I have the rackable titan trap bar. It probably looks like a conventional deadlift because I don't know what I'm doing with a trap bar, lol. In warmups I had myself more centered within the trap bar, and I could not find the right balance and was wobbling every which way. As the weight got heavier I kept moving my body further back because that's what felt most stable. I think I just need some time with it.
Here's a pic of it (it's usually serves as a stand for my phone when I record my lifts ;))
[img]https://i.ibb.co/kDFPSZZ/IMG-4003.jpg[/img]
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[B][U]January 3, 2021[/U][/B]
[U]Max Upper: Z Press[/U]
[B]105 pounds x 1 rep[/B]
After doing a rep at 95 pounds that flew up really fast, I jumped up to 115. I got it about an inch above my head, but it was clearly too heavy. Dropped down to 105 after that. I failed the first attempt when it was nearly locked out. Knew I could get it if I just got some more speed from the beginning, so I rested for about 20 seconds and attempted it again with success.
[U]Floor Press[/U]
[B]125 pounds - 5 sets x 5 reps[/B]
[U]Close Grip Bench w/2 Board[/U]
[B]105 pounds - 2 sets x 12 reps[/B]
[U]Face Pull[/U]
[B]Mini Band - 2 sets x 25 reps[/B]
[U]DB Shoulder Press[/U]
[B]70 pounds (35/s) - 2 sets x 12 reps[/B]
[U]Kneeling Ab Wheel[/U]
[B]3 sets x 12 reps[/B]
Really solid workout today. I initially thought that 2 sets of 12 on the assistance work wouldn't be enough, but the volume hit me pretty hard after doing a bunch of 3-5 rep sets over the last several weeks, so this worked out pretty good after all - 3x12's would've definitely been too much this week. The combination of Floor Press and Close Grip Bench is quickly becoming one of my favorites. Really gets the triceps working. And Triceps is definitely still my weak point when it comes to pressing.
Video shows just the 2 Z Press attempts at 105 pounds (the fail and the successful lift).
[youtube]rBYToV7WmZw[/youtube]
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I do not know why I thought your 335 looked like a barbell pull. I can clearly see the trap bar before you roll it back and I can see your forearms turned inward with your grip. Keep in mind that trap bar work is supposed to look more like a squat and not a deadlift. It is an awesome lift that translates well into deads, squats, or any other lift needing those muscles, but the lift itself is supposed to look like a squat more than a pull. But, I havent used a trap bar in years so I might be wrong on this one :D
You are killing the presses! Z-Press was solid. I would have thought you did two singles if you hadn't posted that you failed the first try at the 105. Seriously impressive work on digging up the extra oomph that lift needed. Then it seems you just went to smashing the chest and triceps pretty throughly with those floor presses and CGBP. Great work on the DB presses at the end as well. When you do face pulls what do you anchor to? I have tried anchoring to my rack but its not bolted in so I have to take extra precautions to make sure I dont pull my rack over on myself lol.
Since you are a home gym owner I figured I would get your take on these. Do you anchor low and pul "up" towards you? Or do you anchor high and pull straight back towards you? Or some other way?
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You're definitely right about the Trap Bar Deads. I just need to get comfortable doing them the proper way.
Yeah, I was so close to locking out that first rep at 105, but just couldn't do it. Triceps were dead by the time I was done. ;)
For the Face Pulls I'm anchoring them on my rack, up high (at about the top of my head). My rack is also not bolted down, but I've never had any issues with it moving at all. I've done them with both red and orange bands with no issues. I do usually have about 500 pounds worth of weight on my rack when I'm doing them, which I'm sure helps keep it stable.
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[QUOTE=CW47;1627449963]You're definitely right about the Trap Bar Deads. I just need to get comfortable doing them the proper way.
Yeah, I was so close to locking out that first rep at 105, but just couldn't do it. Triceps were dead by the time I was done. ;)
For the Face Pulls I'm anchoring them on my rack, up high (at about the top of my head). My rack is also not bolted down, but I've never had any issues with it moving at all. I've done them with both red and orange bands with no issues. I do usually have about 500 pounds worth of weight on my rack when I'm doing them, which I'm sure helps keep it stable.[/QUOTE]
Ah I didnt notice the rack having a weight tree on each side lol. Yeah that would definitely counter the weight of a facepull :D
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That trap bar is a beauty! I will probably have to upgrade mine at some point. I bought it on Amazon (very cheap) and it is actually welded crooked. :D Nice work on those floor presses!
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[QUOTE=JohnButz;1627525513]That trap bar is a beauty! I will probably have to upgrade mine at some point. I bought it on Amazon (very cheap) and it is actually welded crooked. :D Nice work on those floor presses![/QUOTE]
I'm a big fan of the Trap Bar. Paying more for a rackable version was completely worth it. I keep meaning to try it out with some pressing exercises. The neutral grip will provide a nice change up.
[B][U]January 5, 2021 - Dynamic Lower[/U][/B]
This workout looks tame enough, but it kicked my behind for some reason.
[U]12 inch Box Squat[/U]
[B]140 pounds - 12 sets x 2 reps[/B]
I'm still figuring out what percentages I should use on box squats. I'll need to lower the percentage on the 12 inch box squats because this weight was too heavy. On what was supposed to be a speed lift, some of the reps were downright slow. Not good. Not the end of the world though. I'll adjust next week.
[U]Conventional Deadlift[/U]
[B]220 pounds - 10 sets x 2 reps[/B]
These reps felt fast and easy. I ended up with some serious tightness in my left glute (this has been an issue for me for years with conventional deads). I tend to have my left side much more activated on lower body exercises for some reason, and this is a lift where I really feel it because it puts a lot of stress on my left glute. I've tried to figure out how to better activate my right side, but haven't figured out how to do it effectively yet. I'll keep working on it.
[U]Step Ups - 16 inch box[/U]
[B]45 pounds - 2 sets x 12 reps[/B]
[U]Bent Row[/U]
[B]115 pounds - 2 sets x 12 reps[/B]
This was really light, but I didn't have much left in the tank at this point. I'll increase it next week.
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[B][U]January 6, 2021 - Dynamic Upper[/U][/B]
[U]Banded Bench Press[/U]
[B]85 pounds + mini band - 9 sets x 3 reps[/B]
I was kind of unfocused and rushed through the reps. They were pretty sloppy as a result. Finally reigned it in on the last couple of sets. Speed was good. Left elbow was tender and bothered me a little bit, but I'll work through it.
[U]Seated Shoulder Press w/Trap Bar[/U]
[B]85 pounds - 5 sets x 5 reps[/B]
Trying Trap bar for pressing was fresh in my mind, so I gave it a shot today. On the good side, it allows for a larger range of motion, and works the shoulders differently than a standard bar. The negative is that it was really awkward getting in and out of the trap bar with it racked. Overall I like it though.
[U]Incline Skull Crusher[/U]
[B]45 pounds - 2 sets x 15 reps[/B]
[U]Kroc Row[/U]
[B]65 pounds - 2 sets x 15 reps[/B]
[U]Hanging Knee Raise[/U]
[B]2 sets x 20 reps[/B]
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[B][U]January 9, 2021[/U][/B]
[U]Max Effort Lower: Conventional Deadlift[/U]
[B]355 pounds x 1 rep[/B]
Was hoping to work up to 345. I did and felt like I had more to give, so I tried 355 and hit that as well. This was an all time PR. I for sure have more than that in me, and I'm happy to keep building towards higher numbers slowly and steadily.
[U]Wide Stance Deadlift w/Snatch Grip[/U]
[B]235 pounds - 5 sets x 5 reps[/B]
[U]Gliding Hamstring Curl[/U]
[B]Bodyweight - 3 sets x 12 reps[/B]
[U]Meadows Row[/U]
[B]50 pounds - 3 sets x 12 reps[/B]
The video shows the 345 and 355 deadlifts.
[youtube]Rz5jWzpaBDc[/youtube]
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GJ man, gotta be doing something right if you go for 10 more lbs than you were planning. And I’m stealing that gliding hamstring curl exercise too lol
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355 dead PR congrats man! You can see in the videos you are getting results
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YEEEEEEEAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! :cool:
You pulling dat dere tree fitty now! You made both those sets look fairly easy. Judging on the speed and how you kept tight form all the way through, I think you would have had 365+ as well. But, got to leave some of those gains for later I suppose :D
Savior is stealing your hamstring curls but I am gonna steal those meadows rows lol. Never tried them before... never knew they were a thing before
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[QUOTE=SaviorSelfJT;1628040033]GJ man, gotta be doing something right if you go for 10 more lbs than you were planning. And I’m stealing that gliding hamstring curl exercise too lol[/QUOTE]
It was a great session. And you should definitely try out the gliding curls.
[QUOTE=Raigs;1628112553]355 dead PR congrats man! You can see in the videos you are getting results[/QUOTE]
Yes indeed!
[QUOTE=400Lb Gorilla;1628147293]YEEEEEEEAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! :cool:
You pulling dat dere tree fitty now! You made both those sets look fairly easy. Judging on the speed and how you kept tight form all the way through, I think you would have had 365+ as well. But, got to leave some of those gains for later I suppose :D
Savior is stealing your hamstring curls but I am gonna steal those meadows rows lol. Never tried them before... never knew they were a thing before[/QUOTE]
Yeah, I felt like 365 would have been almost a sure thing. I had some serious tightness in my glutes and lower back after the 355 though, so I didn't see the sense in pushing it any further.
Meadows Rows are awesome! They've become one of my favorite upper back exercises.
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[B][U]January 11, 2021[/U][/B]
Missed my workout yesterday because we were out visiting friends all day, and then came home to a broken down furnace (it got fixed today).
[U]Max Upper: 45 Degree Incline Press[/U]
[B]150 pounds x 1 rep[/B]
My previous PR on this was 135 about 3 months ago. I did that easily this time, attempted and failed (just barely) 155. Dropped down to 145 and that went up easily, then grinded a rep at 150. I may do a pause at the bottom next time I attempt this, because these reps were pretty uncontrolled at the bottom.
[U]Floor Press[/U]
[B]135 pounds - 5 sets x 5 reps[/B]
[U]Close Grip Bench w/2 Board[/U]
[B]115 pounds - 2 sets x 12 reps[/B]
These were a grind, probably because I exhausted myself on Incline Press. Not sure if I'll be able to increase next week or not.
[U]Face Pull[/U]
[B]Mini Band - 2 sets x 30 reps[/B]
Short on time, so I left off the DB Shoulder Press and Abs today.
Apologies to all for not visiting your journals of late. I've just not had time, and may need to even scale back on posting of my own workouts here (or posting altogether), as I focus on other priorities. I'll no doubt be more active again at some point in the future.
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Awesome PR and keep it up!
You can always just post a weekly summary of how training is going.
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[QUOTE=Filmbuff81;1628316973]Awesome PR and keep it up!
You can always just post a weekly summary of how training is going.[/QUOTE]
Thank you! A weekly summary is a good idea. I will keep that in mind if I'm unable to do them after each workout.
I just realized I was in such a hurry that I neglected to post the video of the max attempts. This video shows the failed attempt at 155 pounds and the successful attempt at 150.
[youtube]opgiAP4J2ds[/youtube]
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Another PR that’s great! Even if you can’t post here i hope you are writing it down. It’s great to keep a log and look back on what you’ve done in the past.
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I think you would have had 155 if you had controlled it a little better on the descent(srs). You hit the chest hard and it seemed to knock your wind out. You dont necessarily need to pause these in your future work, but I would recommend a slower descent, especially at the bottom when it gets close to the chest. It will help build tensions in the tendons and muscles, which helps when it comes time to go the other direction.
But still, solid PR on the 150 and hell of a fights to get that 15 pound PR! And great follow up with the floor press and CG board presses. A deadlift PR and an incline press PR in 3 days is just more proof you are doing things right.
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[QUOTE=CW47;1628284483][B][U]January 11, 2021[/U][/B]
Missed my workout yesterday because we were out visiting friends all day, and then came home to a broken down furnace (it got fixed today).
[U]Max Upper: 45 Degree Incline Press[/U]
[B]150 pounds x 1 rep[/B]
My previous PR on this was 135 about 3 months ago. I did that easily this time, attempted and failed (just barely) 155. Dropped down to 145 and that went up easily, then grinded a rep at 150. I may do a pause at the bottom next time I attempt this, because these reps were pretty uncontrolled at the bottom.
[U]Floor Press[/U]
[B]135 pounds - 5 sets x 5 reps[/B]
[U]Close Grip Bench w/2 Board[/U]
[B]115 pounds - 2 sets x 12 reps[/B]
These were a grind, probably because I exhausted myself on Incline Press. Not sure if I'll be able to increase next week or not.
[U]Face Pull[/U]
[B]Mini Band - 2 sets x 30 reps[/B]
Short on time, so I left off the DB Shoulder Press and Abs today.
Apologies to all for not visiting your journals of late. I've just not had time, and may need to even scale back on posting of my own workouts here (or posting altogether), as I focus on other priorities. I'll no doubt be more active again at some point in the future.[/QUOTE]
Great work! Understand completely on the time factor. I'm hoping that things ease up a bit. I think a commonality we all share here is motivation and striving to be our best, and it gets frustrating when you don't have the time. My wife and I were talking about how great it would be to have just an extra hour per day.
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[QUOTE=Raigs;1628343303]Another PR that’s great! Even if you can’t post here i hope you are writing it down. It’s great to keep a log and look back on what you’ve done in the past.[/QUOTE]
I go a bit overboard on tracking. I fill out a paper log while I'm doing each workout. Afterward, I log all of my lifts into a spreadsheet, and I post here.
[QUOTE=400Lb Gorilla;1628363693]I think you would have had 155 if you had controlled it a little better on the descent(srs). You hit the chest hard and it seemed to knock your wind out. You dont necessarily need to pause these in your future work, but I would recommend a slower descent, especially at the bottom when it gets close to the chest. It will help build tensions in the tendons and muscles, which helps when it comes time to go the other direction.
But still, solid PR on the 150 and hell of a fights to get that 15 pound PR! And great follow up with the floor press and CG board presses. A deadlift PR and an incline press PR in 3 days is just more proof you are doing things right.[/QUOTE]
Good point, and you're right. The reason I suggested I should do paused reps is because I did exactly this same thing last time, and told myself that the next time around I would be more controlled at the bottom of the lift. If I program it as a paused bench, I'll do that. If I don't, there's a good chance I'll just do the same thing again. And I think part of the issue is that I'm just not confident in being able to get the bar off my chest "(because I don't have any recent experience with doing that). Either way, I know it's not really a big deal. As you noted, I'm making steady progress on pretty much every lift, which tells me I'm doing something right.
[QUOTE=JohnButz;1628444053]Great work! Understand completely on the time factor. I'm hoping that things ease up a bit. I think a commonality we all share here is motivation and striving to be our best, and it gets frustrating when you don't have the time. My wife and I were talking about how great it would be to have just an extra hour per day.[/QUOTE]Yes sir, I'd definitely take an extra hour a day (though that still probably wouldn't be enough, lol).
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[B][U]January 13, 2021 - Dynamic Lower[/U][/B]
[U]12 inch Box Squat[/U]
[B]125 pounds - 10 sets x 2 reps[/B]
Reduced weight by 15 pounds after struggling last week. This was a much better weight. I noticed early on that I had a tendency of losing tightness in my back at the bottom of the lift, so maintaining that was a primary focus and it got better as I went along.
[U]Conventional Deadlift[/U]
[B]235 pounds - 8 sets x 2 reps[/B]
The bar was flying up at this weight. My grip needs work because I was having issues with double overhand even when just doing 2 reps per set. Main focus here was on activating my right glute. I've always had a tendency to do that really well on the left side, and it results in major tightness in my glute and lower back on the left side because it's doing all the work. It was much improved today - much more in balance, and the reps felt smoother and faster as a result.
[U]Step Ups - 16 inch box[/U]
[B]55 pounds - 2 sets x 12 reps[/B]
[U]Bent Row[/U]
[B]125 pounds - 2 sets x 12 reps[/B]
These felt like overkill on the lower back today. I may need to remove or replace them next week. Got through all of the reps without any real issues aside from the lower back fatigue.
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Good session! It takes a smart lifter to know when to drop it back a little and get the solid reps. Nice work!
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[QUOTE=JohnButz;1628545243]Good session! It takes a smart lifter to know when to drop it back a little and get the solid reps. Nice work![/QUOTE]
It was definitely needed. I was able to do the squats with speed (which is the entire purpose of a dynamic effort lift), and I was fresher for the subsequent exercises as well.
[B][U]January 14, 2021 - Dynamic Upper[/U][/B]
[U]Banded Bench Press[/U]
[B]95 pounds + mini band - 9 sets x 3 reps[/B]
After doing speed work with bands for a while now, I'm starting to see a clear improvement in my bar speed.
For the first time, I changed grip width every 3 sets. As I was watching back the video it was interesting to see that my bar path actually changed quite a lot as my grip width changes. The closer grip reps have a much better and more consistent bar path. This tells me I either need to practice with a wider grip more often and improve my bar path with it, or that I should just stick to a narrower grip. I do feel stronger with a medium to narrow grip, but the travel distance is quite a bit longer that way, obviously. I've typically been doing my max effort work with a wider grip, but I may try it with a narrower grip next time around, just to see what happens.
[U]Seated Shoulder Press w/Trap Bar[/U]
[B]90 pounds - 5 sets x 5 reps[/B]
Figured out a setup that works far better for this lift, starting with the bar at the top of the lift rather than at the bottom (more like a bench press unracking position). I felt stronger on it this week than last week, even with the 5 pound weight increase. I love the neutral grip. The one downside of doing these with a trap bar is that the handles are wider than what would be ideal for me, but it works well enough.
[U]Incline Skull Crusher[/U]
[B]50 pounds - 2 sets x 15 reps[/B]
[U]Kroc Row[/U]
[B]75 pounds - 2 sets x 15 reps[/B]
[U]Hanging Knee Raise[/U]
[B]3 sets x 15 reps[/B]
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Trap bar shoulder press sounds pretty intriguing. I may need to try tbst sometime unless I splurge on a different bar one day haha.
Nice training as always.
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I agree that if you need to program them in as a paused bench, then that will definitely help to do so.
Nice dynamic work! I so not think I have ever seen anyone use a trap bar for overhead press before. But I do like starting from the extended position on some types of presses too. I believe it helps the shoulders "get set" for the work they are about to do. I think I might try those out if I ever find myself in possession of a trap bar lol
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[QUOTE=Filmbuff81;1628618103]Trap bar shoulder press sounds pretty intriguing. I may need to try tbst sometime unless I splurge on a different bar one day haha.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=400Lb Gorilla;1628679963]Nice dynamic work! I so not think I have ever seen anyone use a trap bar for overhead press before. But I do like starting from the extended position on some types of presses too. I believe it helps the shoulders "get set" for the work they are about to do. I think I might try those out if I ever find myself in possession of a trap bar lol[/QUOTE]
Yeah, Trap Bar presses aren't very common I don't think, lmao. But we have to use what we have available.
I will try to remember to record one of my sets next week and post it. ;)
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[B][U]January 16, 2021 - Max Lower[/U][/B]
Dang, I typed up a full post and lost it when I tried to submit. :(
I may come back and edit in some more detail again later...
[U]Barbell Hack Squat[/U]
[B]305 pounds x 1 rep[/B]
[U]Wide Stance Deadlift w/Snatch Grip[/U]
[B]245 pounds - 5 sets x 5 reps[/B]
[U]Gliding Hamstring Curl[/U]
[B]Bodyweight - 2 sets x 12 reps[/B]
[U]Meadows Row[/U]
[B]55 pounds - 2 sets x 12 reps[/B]
The video shows barbell hack squat attempts at 305 and 325.
[youtube]pJq3OkCpYcY[/youtube]
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What's up CW! Idk why I wasn't subbed to your training journal before but I am now.
How do you like that barbell hack squat? I remember seeing a video on it and thought I'd give it a try at some point in my training.
Are you running a conjugate set up?
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[QUOTE=Anthony21;1628762443]What's up CW! Idk why I wasn't subbed to your training journal before but I am now.
How do you like that barbell hack squat? I remember seeing a video on it and thought I'd give it a try at some point in my training.
Are you running a conjugate set up?[/QUOTE]
Hey Anthony! Thanks for checking out the log. :)
I don't have enough experience with the barbell hack squat to have really made up my mind about how valuable it is. This was actually the first time I'd ever lifted over about 145 pounds on it. I liked it for reps at a lower weight, and it works over the quads really good (better than front squats, or other barbell variations that are supposed to target them). For some reason, doing them with more weight it felt more like a deadlift, with most of the stress going on my lower back, and I didn't feel much of anything in my quads. We'll see what I feel like in the coming day or two though...
I would for sure give them a try and see how they feel for you.
Yes, I'm doing conjugate style training. It's worked better than anything else I've ever tried before. The regular near max and max attempts have made me much more comfortable pushing myself. And the speed work has improved my bar speed noticeably (though it's probably helped me more than it would help most because I've never really focused on lifting with speed before). The combination of these, along with targeting weak points with a lot of volume work, has had be setting new PR's on a regular basis since I started in September. I've put 20 pounds on my bench, 30 pounds on Deads, and 45 pounds on my squat. Bench progress is starting to slow recently, but deads an squat are still improving at a crazy rate for someone who's been training for almost 5 years now. And the best part of it is that I'm just having a blast. Doing different lifts all the time is something I really enjoy, and my body seems to react to the variation really well.
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For some unknown reason, I cannot edit my post from earlier today. Keep getting an error message after about 20 attempts. So, just going to post some additional detail in a new post now that I have a few minutes.
[B]Barbell Hack Squat:[/B] I'm shocked that I was able to do over 300. Most I'd ever done previously was around 145. Form is sloppy since I'm not used to this lift, but I never felt in danger of hurting myself. I also attempted 325. On the first attempt it didn't get off the floor (poor balance and bracing). Tried a second time and got it to my knees, but it was not going any further than that. I'm curious to see where I'll feel sore tomorrow, lol.
[B]Wide Stance Deadlift w/Snatch Grip:[/B] I'm getting comfortable with these. They've felt easier each week despite 10 pound weight increases.
[b]Gliding Hamstring Curl:[/b] I think I will need to do these for higher reps in the future, because I really wasn't feeling anything until the final few reps. Of course, it's also possible that I'm just not doing them correctly.
[b]Meadows Row:[/b] This lift is SO good. I can easily change what muscles it works by adjusting stance and back angle. I can stand a bit further away with my back more horizontal and target the upper back and rear delts. I can stand closer and more upright and target the lats. And in both scenarios it does a great job of isolating those muscles.
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I absolutely love Meadow's rows. I need to start doing them more on my OHP day. Matter of fact I'll be hitting them tomorrow for my pull movement :D
I've always been interested in Conjugate training but I figured I don't have most of the equipment necessary to even attempt to run it, let alone that program IQ on how to even set it all up.
That's awesome that it's working out really well for you and the gains you've made from it thus far speak for themselves.
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[QUOTE=CW47;1628795133][B]Barbell Hack Squat:[/B] I'm shocked that I was able to do over 300. Most I'd ever done previously was around 145. Form is sloppy since I'm not used to this lift, but I never felt in danger of hurting myself. I also attempted 325. On the first attempt it didn't get off the floor (poor balance and bracing). Tried a second time and got it to my knees, but it was not going any further than that. I'm curious to see where I'll feel sore tomorrow, lol.
[B]Wide Stance Deadlift w/Snatch Grip:[/B] I'm getting comfortable with these. They've felt easier each week despite 10 pound weight increases.
[b]Gliding Hamstring Curl:[/b] I think I will need to do these for higher reps in the future, because I really wasn't feeling anything until the final few reps. Of course, it's also possible that I'm just not doing them correctly.
[b]Meadows Row:[/b] This lift is SO good. I can easily change what muscles it works by adjusting stance and back angle. I can stand a bit further away with my back more horizontal and target the upper back and rear delts. I can stand closer and more upright and target the lats. And in both scenarios it does a great job of isolating those muscles.[/QUOTE]
Good stuff CW. I've thought about the Meadows row but need a place to stick my barbell. Living room is kinda tight.
That hack squat really looks like a deadlift, and there's some lower back rounding. Are you supposed to be more upright?
I love the wide stance snatch grip DL, I call it medium stance.
Gliding ham curl, Are you pulling yourself all the way forward, hams touching calves?
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[QUOTE=ECGordyn;1628798143]
That hack squat really looks like a deadlift, and there's some lower back rounding. Are you supposed to be more upright?
[/QUOTE]
X2. I had to google that exercise cause I thought you were doing a regular deadlift in the vid. It sounds like it’s supposed to be a leg exercise so you’d probably want to drop your hips really low and bend your knees
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[QUOTE=Anthony21;1628796183]I absolutely love Meadow's rows. I need to start doing them more on my OHP day. Matter of fact I'll be hitting them tomorrow for my pull movement :D
I've always been interested in Conjugate training but I figured I don't have most of the equipment necessary to even attempt to run it, let alone that program IQ on how to even set it all up.
That's awesome that it's working out really well for you and the gains you've made from it thus far speak for themselves.[/QUOTE]
If you ever decide to give it a try, let me know. I've created a template that makes the programming pretty straight forward. I'd say that some parts of the program are better with things like bands and/or chains (primarily the speed work). But I really don't think it's necessary. Variation can be built in through things as simple of different grip/stance widths, tempos, rep ranges, etc. I have a spreadsheet I've created with a log template, lists of exercises with video links, and some graphs that allow me to track progress over time. I'm happy to share it if you, or anyone else, are ever interested.
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[QUOTE=SaviorSelfJT;1628799263]X2. I had to google that exercise cause I thought you were doing a regular deadlift in the vid. It sounds like it’s supposed to be a leg exercise so you’d probably want to drop your hips really low and bend your knees[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=ECGordyn;1628798143]Good stuff CW. I've thought about the Meadows row but need a place to stick my barbell. Living room is kinda tight.
That hack squat really looks like a deadlift, and there's some lower back rounding. Are you supposed to be more upright?
I love the wide stance snatch grip DL, I call it medium stance.
Gliding ham curl, Are you pulling yourself all the way forward, hams touching calves?[/QUOTE]
You're both totally right on the Hack Squat. And that's why I'm not sold on it (for myself personally) as a max effort exercise, and think it's probably better suited for higher rep work. My form changed on it as it got heavier, simply because that was the way I could get the weight up.
I do those deads with my feet somewhere between the width of my Conventional and Sumo stance. So from that standpoint it's more of a medium stance, yes. But looking at it as a conventional style deadlift, it's quite a lot wider than I would typically do (feet almost twice as far apart). But I think there's a fair amount of variability in stance width that can work just fine on this lift. I should probably just call it the Candito Deadlift, lol.
On the Ham Curl, Hams were not touching calves, so I wasn't going far enough then - good to know. I will do a fuller range of motion next time around. ;)
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[QUOTE=CW47;1628801283]If you ever decide to give it a try, let me know. I've created a template that makes the programming pretty straight forward. I'd say that some parts of the program are better with things like bands and/or chains (primarily the speed work). But I really don't think it's necessary. Variation can be built in through things as simple of different grip/stance widths, tempos, rep ranges, etc. I have a spreadsheet I've created with a log template, lists of exercises with video links, and some graphs that allow me to track progress over time. I'm happy to share it if you, or anyone else, are ever interested.[/QUOTE]
I have some basic minister mini bands, one pro monster mini band, and a pro average resistance band. Currently only specialty bar I have is my Titan V2 SSB.
I’d be down to see the set up you have going if you didn’t mind.
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I think the best way for me to lay it out is to break it down by Max Effort, Dynamic Effort, and Accessory work, since they each have their own setup/cycles. Then I'll pull it all together to show what it looks like. I'll lay it out over the course of a few posts, rather than doing one massive post.
My log is setup to run in 12 week cycles. Max Effort days are programmed in 6 week cycles. Competition Squat and Bench Press are done on the first week of each 6 week cycle. These, along with the Competition Deadlift done in week 2, are the primary reference point I use to tell if I'm making progress. I'll use my performance in these to tell me whether the programming in my previous cycle was effective.
[B][U]Max Lower:[/U][/B] This is essentially a 6 week rotation, with the exercises being very similar, but slightly different on the second 6 weeks.
Week 1 - Competition Squat
Week 2 - Competition Deadlift
Week 3 - Front/Zercher/Hack Squat
Week 4 - Non-Competition Deadlift Variation
Week 5 - Box/Pin Squat
Week 6 - Rack Pull/Block Pull
Week 7 - Competition Squat
Week 8 - Wide Grip Deadlift
Week 9 - Squat w/Band/Chain
Week 10 - Deficit Deadlift
Week 11 - Paused Squat
Week 12 - Deadlift w/Band/Chain
[B][U]Max Upper:[/U][/B] As with the Max Lower, this is a 6 week rotation. Here the exercises are exactly the same for each 6 weeks cycle. I can/will add in variation by using different grip widths, so that each cycle isn't exactly the same.
Week 1 - Competition Bench Press
Week 2 - Incline Bench Press
Week 3 - Close Grip Bench Press
Week 4 - Bench Press w/Band/Chain
Week 5 - Specialty Bar
Week 6 - Floor/Board/Pin Press
Week 7 - Competition Bench Press
Week 8 - Incline Bench Press
Week 9 - Close Grip Bench Press
Week 10 - Bench Press w/Band/Chain
Week 11 - Specialty Bar
Week 12 - Floor/Board/Pin Press
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[QUOTE=CW47;1628809163]I think the best way for me to lay it out is to break it down by Max Effort, Dynamic Effort, and Accessory work, since they each have their own setup/cycles. Then I'll pull it all together to show what it looks like. I'll lay it out over the course of a few posts, rather than doing one massive post.
My log is setup to run in 12 week cycles. Max Effort days are programmed in 6 week cycles. Competition Squat and Bench Press are done on the first week of each 6 week cycle. These, along with the Competition Deadlift done in week 2, are the primary reference point I use to tell if I'm making progress. I'll use my performance in these to tell me whether the programming in my previous cycle was effective.
[B][U]Max Lower:[/U][/B] This is essentially a 6 week rotation, with the exercises being very similar, but slightly different on the second 6 weeks.
Week 1 - Competition Squat
Week 2 - Competition Deadlift
Week 3 - Front/Zercher/Hack Squat
Week 4 - Non-Competition Deadlift Variation
Week 5 - Box/Pin Squat
Week 6 - Rack Pull/Block Pull
Week 7 - Competition Squat
Week 8 - Wide Grip Deadlift
Week 9 - Squat w/Band/Chain
Week 10 - Deficit Deadlift
Week 11 - Paused Squat
Week 12 - Deadlift w/Band/Chain
[B][U]Max Upper:[/U][/B] As with the Max Lower, this is a 6 week rotation. Here the exercises are exactly the same for each 6 weeks cycle. I can/will add in variation by using different grip widths, so that each cycle isn't exactly the same.
Week 1 - Competition Bench Press
Week 2 - Incline Bench Press
Week 3 - Close Grip Bench Press
Week 4 - Bench Press w/Band/Chain
Week 5 - Specialty Bar
Week 6 - Floor/Board/Pin Press
Week 7 - Competition Bench Press
Week 8 - Incline Bench Press
Week 9 - Close Grip Bench Press
Week 10 - Bench Press w/Band/Chain
Week 11 - Specialty Bar
Week 12 - Floor/Board/Pin Press[/QUOTE]
Good stuff so far man I appreciate you posting all that.
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[B][U]Dynamic Effort - Lower:[/U][/B] I do both a Squat and a Deadlift variation on this day. I do the same lift for 3 consecutive weeks, increasing weight each week. I initially used set percentages, but quickly found that it did not work, so I'm now picking my weights based entirely upon previous experience. You need to be able to move the weight very fast, so if bar speed is slowed at all it is too heavy for Dynamic work.
Week 1-3 Squat - 12 inch Box Squat
Week 1-3 Dead - Any Deadlift Variant
Week 4-6 Squat - 16 inch Box Squat
Week 4-6 Dead - Any Deadlift Variant
Week 7-9 Squat - 20 inch Box Squat
Week 7-9 Dead - Any Deadlift Variant
Week 10-12 Squat - 16 inch Box Squat
Week 10-12 Dead - Any Deadlift Variant
While weight increases weekly, reps decrease weekly. Here are some examples of how I wave these. Keep in mind that, as I mentioned above, I no longer use percentages - this is just to provide an example and potential starting point.
[U]Dynamic Squat[/U]
Week 1 = 12 sets x 2 reps @55%
Week 2 = 10 sets x 2 reps @60%
Week 3 = 8 sets x 2 reps @65%
[U]Dynamic Deadlift[/U]
Week 1 = 10 sets x 2 reps @65%
Week 2 = 8 sets x 2 reps @70%
Week 3 = 6 sets x 2 reps @75%
[B][U]Dynamic Effort - Upper:[/U][/B] This is much more straight forward. I'll pick a Bench Press variation, usually trying to target a weak point, and do it for 3 weeks. Just as with the Dynamic Lower work, weight increases weekly. However, I keep the sets and reps the same each week (9 sets of 3). Again, the percentages listed are only a guide, and should be adjusted as needed to assure fast bar speed. I almost always use bands or chains for this, but it's not a requirement.
[U]Dynamic Bench[/U]
Week 1 = 9 sets of 3 @45%
Week 2 = 9 sets of 3 @50%
Week 3 = 9 sets of 3 @55%
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[B][U]Accessory/Supplemental Work:[/U][/B] I have a slightly different template I use on each day of the week, but it repeats indefinitely. I change exercises every 3 weeks. They can certainly be changes more or less frequently, but every 3 weeks seems to work best for me. It's also worth mentioning that I wave the set/rep ranges over a 12 weeks cycle, but keep in mind that this is still very much experimental, and I've nowhere near enough experience to say that my setup is even decent, much less ideal.
[U]Max Lower[/U]:
Weeks 1-3 = 3 sets x 12 reps
Weeks 4-6 = 4 sets x 8 reps
Weeks 7-9 = 5 sets x 5 reps
Weeks 10-12 = 7 sets x 3 reps
Compound Squat or Dead focused lift - 5 sets x 5 reps (this is the one exception when it comes to waving set/rep ranges - I do not change the set/rep scheme on my primary compound Supplemental exercise)
Glute/Ham
Low Back
Lats
[U]Max Upper[/U]:
Weeks 1-3 = 2 sets x 12 reps
Weeks 4-6 = 3 sets x 10 reps
Weeks 7-9 = 4 sets x 6 reps
Weeks 10-12 = 6 sets x 4 reps
Compound Press - 5 sets x 5 reps
Triceps
Back/Lats
Shoulders
Abs
[U]Dynamic Lower[/U]:
Weeks 1-3 = 2 sets x 12 reps
Weeks 4-6 = 3 sets x 10 reps
Weeks 7-9 = 4 sets x 6 reps
Weeks 10-12 = 6 sets x 4 reps
Glute/Ham
Low Back
Lats
[U]Dynamic Upper[/U]:
Weeks 1-3 = 3 sets x 15 reps
Weeks 4-6 = 3 sets x 12 reps
Weeks 7-9 = 4 sets x 8 reps
Weeks 10-12 = 5 sets x 5 reps
Compound Press - 5 sets x 5 reps
Triceps
Back/Lat
Shoulders
Abs
I fairly regularly will drop off a body part if I have another with carryover that will hit it. Low Back and Lats, and Shoulder and Triceps both tend to have a lot of carryover, so I'll often drop one of those.
