showmestate08's log

[showmestate08]

1RM before starting madcows intermediate:

425 squat
375 bench
617.5 deadlift
1417.5 lb. total

My estimated 5RM's (what I used to calculate each workout):
365 squat
315 bench
510 deadlift
265 pendlay row
185 standing OHP

I'm in week 5 or 6.

[showmestate08]

2/10

Squat
185x5
235x5
280x5
280x5

Standing OHP
135x5
140x5
165x5
190x5

Deadlift
325x5
390x5
455x5
525x5

Easy squat day is easy. My 5th set of OHP was a slight push press instead of strict. don't care/10. deadlifts are pretty challenging atm. too much lower back rounding on the 5th set. I also had a hitch on the 4th/5th rep of the 5th set. Grip is holding up surprisingly well.

[ChecksandGiggles]

How does one become good at Deadlifting?

[showmestate08]

How does one become good at Deadlifting?

Nose tork, caffeine, and explosiveness on every rep I had great gains alternating a 2/3 rep max day with a speed day every 5 days or so. For every 7 workouts, 4 workouts pulling from the floor, 2 at a slight deficit, 1 from just below the knees.

I'm not really enjoying 4x5 on madcows's but I suppose it might be good for me. How does one become good at squats?

[arian11]

1RM before starting madcows intermediate:

425 squat
375 bench
617.5 deadlift
1417.5 lb. total

How does this even happen? We are about the same height and weight but my best lifts are only 463/265/501 in comp. Do u even squat?

[ChecksandGiggles]

Nose tork, caffeine, and explosiveness on every rep I had great gains alternating a 2/3 rep max day with a speed day every 5 days or so. For every 7 workouts, 4 workouts pulling from the floor, 2 at a slight deficit, 1 from just below the knees.

I'm not really enjoying 4x5 on madcows's but I suppose it might be good for me. How does one become good at squats?

I Squatted 7x/week for several months, then took special care to focus on technique. Once you get the proper motor patterns down and develop the flexibility the rest is simpler. Also, Pause Squats. I've been doing a 3x5 with the last set of 5 being a new 5RM attempt, that took me from ~445 to 500 fairly linearly (also gained weight and ran a modified Smolov routine for Front Squats of all things).

[showmestate08]

Once you get the proper motor patterns down and develop the flexibility the rest is simpler.

^^That's definitely a work in progress. After I reset madcow's, I'll probably start throwing in some pause squats for the first 2-3 work sets. I'm hearing more and more about people doing these so I'm getting curious.

[arian11]

^^That's definitely a work in progress. After I reset madcow's, I'll probably start throwing in some pause squats for the first 2-3 work sets. I'm hearing more and more about people doing these so I'm getting curious.

Pause squats definitely seems like the new fad these days. I'm sure next year everyone is going to say pause squats are bad for the raw lifter because you are not learning to use the bounce out of the hole.

[showmestate08]

How does this even happen? We are about the same height and weight but my best lifts are only 463/265/501 in comp. Do u even squat?

After going through the base mesocycle of smolov I started to get sciatic nerve pain in my right leg. I wasn't squatting for several months, so I was deadlifting 2x's a week.

A couple months ago, I finally went to a physical therapist who has given me quite a few stretching exercises. Now I can squat just fine. It's only a matter of time before my squat is over 500

[arian11]

After going through the base mesocycle of smolov I started to get sciatic nerve pain in my right leg. I wasn't squatting for several months, so I was deadlifting 2x's a week.

A couple months ago, I finally went to a physical therapist who has given me quite a few stretching exercises. Now I can squat just fine. It's only a matter of time before my squat is over 500

Aware us on said stretching exercises. It's only a matter of decades before my deadlift is over 600

[showmestate08]

2/12

Squats
185x5
235x5
280x5
325x5
385x3
280x8

Bench
160x5
205x5
240x5
285x5
335x3
240x8

Pendlay Row
135x5
170x5
205x5
240x5
280x3
205x8

Tricep Extensions
3x8

Spider Curls
3x8

[showmestate08]

Aware us on said stretching exercises. It's only a matter of decades before my deadlift is over 600

Thomas stretch, (lying down) knee to chest, feet on wall with butt as close to the wall as possible, piriformis stretches (1 leg crossed over body, pull knee to opposite shoulder; push knee away from opposite shoulder), something like the yoga cat pose + rocking back towards my heels.

[ChecksandGiggles]

^^That's definitely a work in progress. After I reset madcow's, I'll probably start throwing in some pause squats for the first 2-3 work sets. I'm hearing more and more about people doing these so I'm getting curious.

I usually incorporate them into my warmups because they help me remember to build tension. I'll pause the first and last rep of a warmup set and after doing the work sets I'll do light weight (no heavier than 315) for doubles or triples. My only issue with them is that sometimes they make my knees ache, so I have to use them somewhat sparingly.

[showmestate08]

2/14

Squat
190x5
240x5
290x5
335x5
385x5

Bench
165x5
205x5
250x5
290x5
335x4--> failed 5th rep 3-4 inches from lockout.

Pendlay Row
140x5
175x5
210x5
245x5
275x5

Squats felt good. I decided to intiate the lift by breaking at the knees rather than the hips (possible anterior pelvic tilt? I dunno.) and that seems to work well for me as long as I force my knees out hard.

After finishing my last set on bench, someone showed me a more effective way to use my wrist wraps--creating more of a "backboard" that goes higher up on my wrist/back of my hand. He also noticed that the bar speed really slows down (on the descent) when I get close to my chest. I'll make these adjustments + get back to my normal weight (215-217; was 211 today) and hopefully 335x5 will go down next week.

[showmestate08]

2/16

Squats
190x5
240x5
290x5
290x5

Standing OHP
135x5
145x5
170x5
195x5

Deadlift
335x5
405x5
470x5
535x5

Easy squats were easy. Hard deadlifts were hard--last set 5th rep was hitched. OHP felt nice and easy. I weighed in at 217.

[showmestate08]

2/18

Squats
190x5
240x5
290x5
335x5
395x3
290x8

Bench
165x5
205x5
250x5
290x5
340x3
250x8

Pendlay Row
140x5
175x5
210x5
245x5
285x3
210x8

Lying DB tricep extensions
45x3x8

Spider curls
105x3x8

Everything felt good. Weighed in at 219.

[sheed30]

Subbed. Similar numbers. Just folllowing to learn and see what works

[showmestate08]

Subbed. Similar numbers. Just folllowing to learn and see what works

Welcome

2/20

Squats
195x5
245x5
295x5
345x5
395x5

Bench
170x5
210x5
255x5
295x5
335x5

Pendlay Rows
145x5
180x5
215x5
250x5
285x5

Weighted Planks
45x1 for 1min 30 seconds or so

Squats- The weight felt relatively easy but I felt like I was going to pull an April Mathis so I had to pause before the 4th and 5th rep.

Bench- Glad to get 335x5. Not really sure how I didn't get this last week...

Rows- each week the 5th set requires more and more of a "hitch" to really get the bar close to my abdomen. And even then, the ROM isn't as far as my first 4 sets. Not sure if I'll continue hitching/adding weight or reset so my form can be strict.

[showmestate08]

Watching Rob Wilkerson train makes me mad.

[showmestate08]

Plan to prepare for my July 13th meet:

Rather than resetting my deadlift and continuing with sets of 5 for madcows, I've decided to taper volume for the next several weeks so that I can peak in mid to late March. After testing my 1RM, I'll have approximately 12-15 weeks to get ready for my July 13th meet. During this time I'll do the Magnusson/ Ortmayer routine for deadlift (every Wednesday). My squats are still progressing very well with madcows 5x5 so I will continue with the same format. I may end up dropping the light squats on the Wednesday workout if I am struggling to meet the planned reps for the magnusson/ortmayer routine. Bench will still be madcow's for now, I may peak 10-12 weeks out so I can test my 1RM and then I'll decide what to do from there.

cliffs:

Deadlift- peaking so I can test 1RM; switching to mag/ort routine until July 13th comp.
Squat- No major changes from Madcow format.
Bench- No changes from Madcow format.

[Drew50]

strong deadlifts man as well as bench

[showmestate08]

strong deadlifts man as well as bench

Thanks. I can't wait to see where I end up on squats after I run madcow's for a few more months.


2/22

Squats
Did not do. This was a light squat day so i'm not too worried about it. YMCA was closed due to snow so I had to go to the annex which doesn't have a squat rack.

Standing OHP
135x5
150x5
175x5
200x5

Deadlift
345x4
415x4
485x4
545x4

[showmestate08]

2/24

Squats
195x5
245x5
295x5
345x5
405x3
295x8

Bench
170x5
210x5
255x5
295x5
345x3
255x8

No rows.

Lying DB tricep extensions
45 2x8
50 1x8

[Drew50]

squats looked good looked like you had 405x5 in you

[showmestate08]

squats looked good looked like you had 405x5 in you

thanks man. I'll be doing 405x5 in a few days--just trying to follow the routine to a t. Just by how things are feeling right now, I'm expecting to reach at least 425x5 before I start missing reps/have to reset. I'm not a huge fan of 1rm calculators but 425*5*.033+425= 495 estimated 1RM. I'd be happy with ~70lb bump in 2.5-3 months.

[showmestate08]

Bench Press
175x5
215x5
260x5
300x5
340x5

Pendlay Rows
145x5
185x5
225x5
255x5
295x5

Spider Curls
110x4x8

[showmestate08]

2-27

Squats
200x5
255x5
300x5
355x5
405x5- epic GM save on 5th rep

I've got a little off schedule with this routine due to snow days/not having access to a squat rack. I should be back on track for the "Friday/work up to heavy triple" day on Saturday.

[Drew50]

2-27

405x5- epic GM save on 5th rep

they looked so easy the other day, just lose balance or something?
also strong fukking bench broseph

[showmestate08]

they looked so easy the other day, just lose balance or something?
also strong fukking bench broseph

Thanks, I'm liking madcows for bench much more than I thought I would.

As far as squats, I think it might've been a combination of lack of food, lifting in the morning, and/or losing my balance/not dropping in the hole correctly. With that said, on to 415x3 on Saturday and then x5 on Monday or Tuesday

[showmestate08]

2/28

135 days out

Bench
170x5
215x5
255x5
295x5
345x3
255x8

speed pulls
365+80lbs chain for 5-6 singles
385+80lbs chain for 5-6 singles

horizontal rows
stackx3x5
stackx1x16

Goals of the day:
- deload/speed work for deadlift.
- start using/ figure out how to use my belt for deadlifts