east2 to prem1 in a season and me trying to stay there.

[toad1]

man great stuff with the deads and squats! congrats on the prs. yeah that t nation article made me want to do cleans as well, but i forgot my shoes. i keep forgetting to leave them in the car.

thanks man. are lifitng shoes worth the investment i can never decide on them. i think in keeping with the following of t-nation articles i will most likely do some KB swings next time im in the gym as i tried doing 100swings in one workout before and it was pretty tough. I already do both of the deadlifts tips in the deadlift article although i can't decide if rolling the bar actually works.

[BobisMighty]

thanks man. are lifitng shoes worth the investment i can never decide on them. i think in keeping with the following of t-nation articles i will most likely do some KB swings next time im in the gym as i tried doing 100swings in one workout before and it was pretty tough. I already do both of the deadlifts tips in the deadlift article although i can't decide if rolling the bar actually works.

I've found them to be. I mean it depends mostly on your ankle flexibility as well, but my knees feel a lot better now that I have the shoes. But they're only worth it if you do a narrow, high bar squat. But I also feel a major difference with the oly lifts. The shoes really force you to come up on your toes, but without the tendency to jump off the ground while doing the lift.

Yeah I really should be adding in kettlebell swings into the mix. i remember reading an article about high rep kettlebell swings having a very positive effect on one's vertical leap. i used to do a 20 swings, 20 seconds of rest, 5 round circuit at the end of workouts. i should do it again.

[toad1]

I've found them to be. I mean it depends mostly on your ankle flexibility as well, but my knees feel a lot better now that I have the shoes. But they're only worth it if you do a narrow, high bar squat. But I also feel a major difference with the oly lifts. The shoes really force you to come up on your toes, but without the tendency to jump off the ground while doing the lift.

Yeah I really should be adding in kettlebell swings into the mix. i remember reading an article about high rep kettlebell swings having a very positive effect on one's vertical leap. i used to do a 20 swings, 20 seconds of rest, 5 round circuit at the end of workouts. i should do it again.

my squat is more of a hybrid squat, i do like having the bar high but i also like using a wide stance just feels best like that. i was looking at olly shoes more for the olly lifts as i've got pretty bad ankle flexibility but i duno if they are really worth it as i can never fully decide on how usefull olly lifts are as i'm very much of the opinion that the stronger you are the more powerful you will be. i also need alot of form work on my cleans and snatches are i don't think thats the best way to spend my gym time.

i'm manily planing on doing just swings in the gym tonight which will be different. gota get a conditioning night done i think.

[BobisMighty]

my squat is more of a hybrid squat, i do like having the bar high but i also like using a wide stance just feels best like that. i was looking at olly shoes more for the olly lifts as i've got pretty bad ankle flexibility but i duno if they are really worth it as i can never fully decide on how usefull olly lifts are as i'm very much of the opinion that the stronger you are the more powerful you will be. i also need alot of form work on my cleans and snatches are i don't think thats the best way to spend my gym time.

i'm manily planing on doing just swings in the gym tonight which will be different. gota get a conditioning night done i think.

Swings have a better pay off considering how much easier it is to get those down then to get the oly lifts going. From what i've read, most spots trainers devote their guys time to box jumps, kettlebell swings, and power oly variations like high pulls and hang cleans.I do like the way the oly lifts feel though. More the cleans than the snatches. The shoes are definitely worth it for the oly lifts though. Now that I have them, I don't understand how people can do them in regular shoes. Feels like night and day to me now.

[toad1]

Swings have a better pay off considering how much easier it is to get those down then to get the oly lifts going. From what i've read, most spots trainers devote their guys time to box jumps, kettlebell swings, and power oly variations like high pulls and hang cleans.I do like the way the oly lifts feel though. More the cleans than the snatches. The shoes are definitely worth it for the oly lifts though. Now that I have them, I don't understand how people can do them in regular shoes. Feels like night and day to me now.

my gym ended up being shut last night, i was looking forward to a session of just swings.

That sounds really obvious for sports and a pretty good workout at the same time, yet i do none of that. High pulls and hang cleans are so similar as well. i do allways feel better playing if i've done some power exercises during the week.

[toad1]

Friday 6/7/12 bw102.6


bb bench 20x20 60x8 80x5 100x3 115x2 120x1 130x10

squat 20x20 70x5 120x5 150x2 170x1 20x15 190x1 190x1 205x1 150x10 150x6 120x8 70x20
CGBP 20x30 70x10 70x10 70x10 70x10 70x10 70x10

db row 32x10 32x10 70x8* 70x8*

WG pull ups 15* +15x6* +25x3*
pull ups +25x5* +10x12*


KB swings 20kg ladder 1-10-1

Farmers Walks:
20kg KB 45secs 20kg KB 30sec,
bags 35kg right hand 20kg left 30sec, 15kg righ 20kg left 30sec
OH bag walk 15kg 3mins.

*straps


couldn't really be bothered tonight, the squats weren't great rep quality was poor, the 200x2 last felt alot better. i'm considering going to the gym 10 days in a row todo 1000 squats and 1000 swings. ill see how that goes currently at 95 for squats and 100 for swings. actually if 100 swings is that easy the swings challenge could be easy. pull ups wearing straps is so easy.

[toad1]

Saturday 7/7/12 bw102.6

KB swings 20kg ladder (1-11-1), 20x10 20x20 20x10 20x10

High pulls 20x8 40x5 40x5 60x5 80x5* 90x5* 100x5* 110x3*

Pin Pulls 110x3 150x4 170x3 // 60x3 150x4 190x3

Hang cleans 60x2 60x4 60x4 64x4 70x4
s/s wg pull ups 5 5 5 5 2

Front Squat 60x10 60x10 70x6 80x5 90x3 100x3 104x3 110x6


*straps


I changed the hieght of the pins after '//' the first set was just above the knee the second set where a bit higher. i did the front squats with my hands out to try and get away from the cross-over grip and becasue i don't have enough flexibility to use a clean grip.

Today went from what was meant to be a conditioning workout, to some power stuff then i just ended up with some strength work. i'm not sure but the final front squat set might be a PR i duno. traps are smashed now as well.

total swings 271
total squats 138

edit haha no where near front squat PR, still good to be front squating again last time i tried them the bar was painfull.

[toad1]

Monday 9/7/12 bw102.7


Deload TJM 8s


hang clean & push press 5ox5 60x5 70x5

dips 20 20 20 20 22
s/s pull ups 5(WG) 5(NG) 8 6(C) 6

Shoulder Shocker
(plate raise, db lat raise, db shrug to clean & press )-all steated.
20x10,10,10 14x4 8x10 8x10 14x4 8x10 8x10

seated machine row 25x12 45x12 66x12 66x12


bike tabata 5mins
spin bike tabata 10mins avg 130rpm top 164rpm

Foam Roller 15mins ish



Traps where still fried from sat, the hang clean and presses where tough and that shoulder shocker was a real leveler really strugled with 8kg presses and raises. Back was really sore from the weekend, so i decided to listen to my body for once an droped all my lowerbody work. The swings and squats idea is out the window. Feel really good after the foam roller work as well.

[BobisMighty]

I really like that 1000 squats and 1000 swings challenge. It's a 10day challenge?

[toad1]

Tuesday 10/7/12 bw 102.5


10 min mile Tredmil

Squat 20x12 60x12 80x12 110x12

Leg Press 140x12 190x12 230x12 270x12 310x12 230x30

Leg extension 66x12 80x12 100x8 100x12 right leg only 32x8 32x15

GHR 15 15 +10x8 15


Spin bike 20 mins tabata intervals

Tredmil 4k 25.30mins



Just did some light leg work and cardio tonight, need to get back into the swing of exercising 5/6days a week. Happy enough to have done a 4k run even if the time wasn't great.

I really like that 1000 squats and 1000 swings challenge. It's a 10day challenge?

It was but i'm not doing it, body just isnt ready. Back was ruined on sunday and walking was not fun monday either. Tbh the swings part is easy as you just need one swing ladder up to 10 and back down again and thats 100 covered for the day. i could pull the swings out of the bag over the weekend, suppose i have got another 6 days to finish it but i doubt it. The squats with more wieght that bar is a proper challenge though.

[toad1]

wednesday 11/7/12 bw101.5


WG pull ups 10 8 10* +20x3d/s5* 8 5 +25x3* +10x6* +10x3 +10x5
DB Row 40x10 40x10 62x12 62x20* 70x12*
Rope Facepulls 18x20 27.5x12 41x12 32x20 32x20

x-trainer 10mins 1.5k
Tred 12min run 2.1k

*straps.



I guess progess is progress only adding 100m to my 12min run isnt great but atleast i'm moving in the right direction.

[BobisMighty]

nice job with the weighted pullups. I think I might start alternating between weighted and unweighted pullups now.

[toad1]

nice job with the weighted pullups. I think I might start alternating between weighted and unweighted pullups now.

Thanks man, i find with pull ups doing alot of them but really mixing it up helps alot. like i used to do two sets max bw on mondays first, wednesdays nock out a few sets at the end of the workout and then do some wieghted somewhere in the middle on a friday and just keep mixing it up all the time. just keep the total weekly volume high.

[toad1]

Friday 13/7/12 101.7


TJM 8s Deload


WG Pull ups 10 8

BB Bench 50x5 65x5 80x5 100x5

Squat 70x5 90x5 110x3 140x3

Chins 6 +10x6 +15x6 +20x6 +25x5 +25x4

Dips 6 +25x6 +25x8 +25x6 +30x6 +30x6 +35x6

Bosu ball squats
flat side up 15 10 15
ball up 8 3 10

[toad1]

monday 16/7/12 bw102.2


BB bench 20x20 60x6 100x6 117x6 117x6 117x6 117x6 117x6 117x6
Clean Pull 60x3 80x3 110x2
Deads 130x5 165x5 190x5 215x5 PR

Fran: 4.37
Push press 45x21 45x15 45x9
s/s pull ups (10,4,4,3) (6,4,4,1) (4,4,1)

BIKE:
level 20x30secs 'sprints' level 10 x30sec 'jog' x9
level20x1min 'sprint' level x1min jog x2

Ropepull downs 16x30 16x30 16x30 16x30



I saw the physio last thursday and she told me that i need to stop running and squating and focus on building up my hip, glute, hamstrings and my inner quad in my bad leg as that is what is causing me the pain as my knee it'self is pretty solid. So to keep me from trying to do legs and any form of cardio i've decided to run smolov jr again. 'sprints' on the bike on full resistance are pretty hard actually made some bike work feel worth while.

[BobisMighty]

monday 16/7/12 bw102.2


BB bench 20x20 60x6 100x6 117x6 117x6 117x6 117x6 117x6 117x6
Clean Pull 60x3 80x3 110x2
Deads 130x5 165x5 190x5 215x5 PR

Fran: 4.37
Push press 45x21 45x15 45x9
s/s pull ups (10,4,4,3) (6,4,4,1) (4,4,1)

BIKE:
level 20x30secs 'sprints' level 10 x30sec 'jog' x9
level20x1min 'sprint' level x1min jog x2

Ropepull downs 16x30 16x30 16x30 16x30



I saw the physio last thursday and she told me that i need to stop running and squating and focus on building up my hip, glute, hamstrings and my inner quad in my bad leg as that is what is causing me the pain as my knee it'self is pretty solid. So to keep me from trying to do legs and any form of cardio i've decided to run smolov jr again. 'sprints' on the bike on full resistance are pretty hard actually made some bike work feel worth while.

Nice work with the bench, and congrats on the Deadlift PR. Shame you can't run anymore, but I suppose tabata cycling and rowing will have to do. Did she give you some kind of rehab plan to use to build up your hips, glutes, and hamstrings?

[toad1]

Wednesday 18/7/12 bw102

BB bench 20x30 60x5 100x5 125x5 125x5 125x5 125x5 125x5 125x5 125x5
DB Flies 18x10 18x10 18x10 18x10 18x10

Bosu ball squats 20 20 20(plate up) 12 12 12(ball up)
s/s pull ups 6 6 6 6 6 6

Raised single leg glute bridge 20 +10x15 +10x20

Rope pulldowns 13.5x100 13.5x100 13.5x100

EZ cable curls 41x10 41x10 41x10
s/s EZ upright row 41x10 41x10 41x10(all one continious set)


Bench was tough tonight, i strugled unracking the bar all night had to get a lift off from the 4th set wasn't to happy with that. Really felt that in my left long head of my tricep. i need to find some ways to work my 'long heads better' i think, although smashing them and doing smolov at the same time is not wise.

Nice work with the bench, and congrats on the Deadlift PR. Shame you can't run anymore, but I suppose tabata cycling and rowing will have to do. Did she give you some kind of rehab plan to use to build up your hips, glutes, and hamstrings?

Thanks bru.

Are you the devil reincarnated tabata rowing no thanks! although i can't really row either.

[toad1]

Friday 20/7/12 102.9

BB bench 20x30 60x4 100x4 110x4 132.5x4 132.5x4 132.5x4 132.5x4 132.5x4 132.5x4 120x4 125x4 60x20
DB Flies 20x10 20x10 20x10 20x10 20x10
DB Row 20x10 20x10 70x23* 40x25

BIKE 10mins


Saturday 21/7/12 bw 103.4

WG pull ups 10 10

BB Bench 20x30 60x6 100x3 120x3 140x3 145x3 140x3 110x3 110x3 110x3 60x35

DB Flies 20x10 26x10 26x10 32x8

Rope Pulldowns 20.5x20 20.5x30 20.5x20
s/s pull ups 10 6 6

single arm cable curls 16x6 20.5x8 20.5x10 27.5x10 27.5x10

Hang Clean 40x6 40x6 60x6 60x6 64x6
Cleans 70x3 74x1 80x1 84x1 88.5x1




Friday was one of the most physically damading sessions i've done in ages. There is also a huge difference in my back strength at the moment the difference in reps between my left and right arm is quite big.

Today my elbows just blew out, really couldn't handle the benching, i'm going to have to re-adjust my numbers as day 1 and day 2 are easy but day 3 and day 4 this week felt impossible.

[toad1]

Monday 23/7/12 bw104.4


BB Bench 20x20 60x6 100x6 112.5x6 112x6 112x6 112x6 112x6 112x6
Clean Pull 60x3 80x3 110x3
Deads 150x3 175x3 200x3 225x4PR

Bosu ball squat ball up 8 15 16
Raised single leg glute bridge +10x15 +10x15 +10x15

Bike 40sec on 20sec off x15 @level 20.



Bench was rough tonight even after droping it down 5kg from last week. Everything that isnt my chest felt sore, upper back, delts, elbows, tri's bi's, the actual pressing part was easy but the un-racking and re-racking was killing me. Smolov jr wasn't any where near this hard last time i ran it.

Getting a deadlift PR was good i maybe could have went for a 5th rep but the 4th rep was really messy, my right side came up pretty slowly, the bar was a bit further away from my body and mr grip also felt weak, i think the imbalances in my back are really starting to show.

I also eat alot of food over the weekend in an aim to recover better hence the wieght gain.

[BobisMighty]

Congrats on the deadlift PR, but I remember Smolov Jr being really tough on my body. If your elbows are really bothering you, I'd try high rep light weight tricep pulldowns. With a light band if you can. That always helps my elbow pain.

[toad1]

Wednesday 25/7/12 bw 102.7

Push Press 20x10 20x10 60x6 100x5 100x5 100x5 100x5 100x4 100x5 100x5
BB Row 60x20 60x20 60x20 80x20 80x20
Rope Pulldowns 13.5x20 22.5x20 32.5x20 41x20 20.5x35

Bike 14.10k 30mins.



Tried mixing up the smolov jr bench to a push press work out tonight, went ok but i think if i ran the whole thing for push press it would be a one way ticket to a blown up shoulder. Not as tough on the rest of my body though.

Congrats on the deadlift PR, but I remember Smolov Jr being really tough on my body. If your elbows are really bothering you, I'd try high rep light weight tricep pulldowns. With a light band if you can. That always helps my elbow pain.

Thanks man deadds are going great at the moment hoping they'll be even better when i'm 100%.

I think the big difference with smolov jr this time is the fact i'm working and i'm not getting enough sleep and recovery time in. i've been trying the high rep pulldowns with the rope with light weight to get the movement in but im thinking if i stick closer to the 15-20 rep range and go heavier that might be better than the 50-100 reps with light weight.

[BobisMighty]

Wednesday 25/7/12 bw 102.7

Push Press 20x10 20x10 60x6 100x5 100x5 100x5 100x5 100x4 100x5 100x5
BB Row 60x20 60x20 60x20 80x20 80x20
Rope Pulldowns 13.5x20 22.5x20 32.5x20 41x20 20.5x35

Bike 14.10k 30mins.



Tried mixing up the smolov jr bench to a push press work out tonight, went ok but i think if i ran the whole thing for push press it would be a one way ticket to a blown up shoulder. Not as tough on the rest of my body though.




Thanks man deadds are going great at the moment hoping they'll be even better when i'm 100%.

I think the big difference with smolov jr this time is the fact i'm working and i'm not getting enough sleep and recovery time in. i've been trying the high rep pulldowns with the rope with light weight to get the movement in but im thinking if i stick closer to the 15-20 rep range and go heavier that might be better than the 50-100 reps with light weight.

nice push presses. you might be right about using medium weight in the 15-20 rep range to get your elbow back on track. yeah sleep plays a huge role in recovery. since i started working out in the mornings, i find i have to pay so much more attention to sleep than i ever used to.

[toad1]

Friday 27/7/12 bw103.6


DB Bench (palms in) 20x20 34x6 50x4 50x4 50x4 50x4 50x4 50x4 54x4 54x3
DB Split Squats 8x10 8x10 12x10
DB Hammer Curls 12x10 12x10 16x10 20x10 20x10 20x10
Rope Pulldowns 9x20 22.5x20 36x20 45x20 50x15
Cable curls 41x10 50x10+10 36x10+10
s/s cable upright row 41x10 50x10+10 36x10+10


Bike (full resistance)
4mins tabata 4mins jog 4mins tabata 5.5k



The bike was brutal, i think thats my first 'proper' experience of tabata.

[thenewguy23]

Good workouts! And I appreciate you repping me, I went from 108reps straight to the red, it was my first ever neg too, but keep up the work and thanks again

[BobisMighty]

Friday 27/7/12 bw103.6


DB Bench (palms in) 20x20 34x6 50x4 50x4 50x4 50x4 50x4 50x4 54x4 54x3
DB Split Squats 8x10 8x10 12x10
DB Hammer Curls 12x10 12x10 16x10 20x10 20x10 20x10
Rope Pulldowns 9x20 22.5x20 36x20 45x20 50x15
Cable curls 41x10 50x10+10 36x10+10
s/s cable upright row 41x10 50x10+10 36x10+10


Bike (full resistance)
4mins tabata 4mins jog 4mins tabata 5.5k



The bike was brutal, i think thats my first 'proper' experience of tabata.

That tabata bike workout sounds rough. I like that you sandwiched it around the jogging though. How gassed were you after all that?

[toad1]

Monday 30/07/12 bw104.2

WG Pull ups 10 8

BB Bench 20x30 60x8 100x6 120x8 125x6 140x1 150x3PR 60x30

Clean Pulls 60x3 100x3 100x1 110x1 130x1
Deads 150x1# 190x5 215x3* 240x2PR 240x2*

BB Complex 60x10
(Mill Press, Behind the neck Pres, Squat BB Row)

BW Complex x10 1min rest
(moutain climbersx30 press upsx20/sit upsx20, groiners x10 burpessx5)


#double overhand
*straps


Gid workout tonight.

PRs all over the shop. The dead at 150 is a double overhand PR, 240x2 was a raw and straped PR along with a bench 3RM. i wore my belt when i did the 190x5 and it just felt wrong. i forgot how sore my shoulders get when i don't do pull ups and i'm pretty happy to still be able to hit 10 with my BW. The BB complex after the deads was rough. Really happy i went through 10 rounds of the BW complex was only aiming for 5, replaced the press ups with sit ups for the last 5 sets. i was also pretty happy with how 'explosive' i felt for the first set of burpees.

[toad1]

Good workouts! And I appreciate you repping me, I went from 108reps straight to the red, it was my first ever neg too, but keep up the work and thanks again

Thanks man!

That tabata bike workout sounds rough. I like that you sandwiched it around the jogging though. How gassed were you after all that?

The Jog was just a rest and i needed it pretty much just fell off the bike. Have you ever seen rowers doing VO2 max tests and they keep putting them back on the rowing machine when they fall off thats how i felt. Think next time ill do 3sets!

[BobisMighty]

Monday 30/07/12 bw104.2

WG Pull ups 10 8

BB Bench 20x30 60x8 100x6 120x8 125x6 140x1 150x3PR 60x30

Clean Pulls 60x3 100x3 100x1 110x1 130x1
Deads 150x1# 190x5 215x3* 240x2PR 240x2*

BB Complex 60x10
(Mill Press, Behind the neck Pres, Squat BB Row)

BW Complex x10 1min rest
(moutain climbersx30 press upsx20/sit upsx20, groiners x10 burpessx5)


#double overhand
*straps


Gid workout tonight.

PRs all over the shop. The dead at 150 is a double overhand PR, 240x2 was a raw and straped PR along with a bench 3RM. i wore my belt when i did the 190x5 and it just felt wrong. i forgot how sore my shoulders get when i don't do pull ups and i'm pretty happy to still be able to hit 10 with my BW. The BB complex after the deads was rough. Really happy i went through 10 rounds of the BW complex was only aiming for 5, replaced the press ups with sit ups for the last 5 sets. i was also pretty happy with how 'explosive' i felt for the first set of burpees.

Congrats on the PRs! That's a pretty strong grip to hit 150kg at double overhand. nice work with the complexes as well!

Thanks man!

The Jog was just a rest and i needed it pretty much just fell off the bike. Have you ever seen rowers doing VO2 max tests and they keep putting them back on the rowing machine when they fall off thats how i felt. Think next time ill do 3sets!

haha yeah those look god awful. i'd like to do it just once, and then never again.

[toad1]

Wednesday 1/8/12 bw103.6

Push Press 20x20 20x8 60x3 80x3 100x2 110x2 120x1 130x0 130x0 105x5 105x2 107x3
s/s HG Chins 3 0 3 0 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Rope Pulldowns 20.5x20 32x20 41x20 50x20 50x19

BB Complex 1min rest 60kg x3
(Benchx20, Squatx20, Rowx20)

Bike 5.05k
4mins tabata 2mins jog 5mins tabata

Calf Raises(leg press) 85x50 85x35



Push Press was poor tonight, failed 130 twice got the bar to my eyes both times, really thought i had it. i reckon on another night i woulda smoked it. Might need to look at my set up again and probably need to wait for my knee heal properly, hardest part of the lift was the set up an balancing the bar, my bar path was all over the place.

That complex was tough and the same with the bike work.

Congrats on the PRs! That's a pretty strong grip to hit 150kg at double overhand. nice work with the complexes as well!
haha yeah those look god awful. i'd like to do it just once, and then never again.

thanks man, i never want to do one of them ever!

[thenewguy23]

Tons of volume in workouts, I do that too, good job with the 150x3 PR! Strong