Love the Pain -- Make the Barbell Cry!

[Millz12323]

Thanks man, good to see you posting again. Do you still log here?

Maybe or maybe I won't do the comp., but will be sure to log it if I do.

I'll start back in the log in a little while. I'm dealing with some much higher than usual stress levels at home and work so the log took a back seat. Still lifting though and not dieting anymore. Maybe I'll start back up when I pr my Deadlift on Tuesday.

Do the meet!

[ECGordyn]

Madcow Week 9 Monday

Squat
185 x 5
230 x 5
275 x 5
320 x 5
365 x 4 + fail

Bench
125 x 5
155 x 5
185 x 5
215 x 5
245 x 5

Pendlay
155 x 5
155 x 5
195 x 5
215 x 5
235 x 5

Cable crunches 70 x 15, 15, 15

Squat felt good until that 4th rep, and then the 5th rep crushed me. Not the first time or the last time that'll happen. Bench went well.

[ECGordyn]

Madcow Week 9 Wednesday

Squat
180 x 5
225 x 5
270 x 5
270 x 5

OHP
95 x 5
115 x 5
130 x 5
150 x 5

DL
245 x 5
280 x 5
340 x 5
380 x 2 = fail

Chins
BW x 8, 6, 5

Cable crunches
70 x 15, 15

[ECGordyn]

Trying out a PHUL. Been grinding a lot on Madcow so will do a bit more volume.

Week 1 PU

Bench
225 x 5, 5, 5, 5

Pendlay
205 x 5, 5, 5, 5

OHP
135 x 8, 8, 8

Pulldown
70 x 10, 10, 10, 8

Incline DB press
70s x 10, 10, 8, 7

[ECGordyn]

Week 1 PL

Squat
335 x 5, 5, 5, 5

DL
340 x 5, 4, 4

Cable crunches
70 x 12, 12, 12

Squat felt good. Definitely a challenging weight to start with. DL has good days and bad days, this was towards the bad end of the spectrum.

[ECGordyn]

Week 1 HL

Squat
275 x 10, 10, 10, 10

DL pause
275 x 8, 8, 8

Leg curls
35 x 8, 8, 8

Cable crunches
70 x 15, 15, 15

Oh man, volume squats hurt. Hadn't done that in a while.

[ECGordyn]

Week 1 HU

Bench
185 x 10, 10, 10, 10

Pendlay
205 x 10, 10, 10, 10

OHP
125 x 10, 10, 8

Pulldown
60 x 10, 10, 10, 8

Cable flies
60 x 10, 9, 7

Facepulls
20 x 15, 15, 15

Everything felt good, which should be expected at these weights. OHP was the toughest. Hoping to see some rewards of this boost in volume as the weeks play out.

[ECGordyn]

Week 2 PL

Squat
340 x 5, 5, 5, 5

DL
340 x 5, 5

RDL
295 x 8, 8

Cable crunches
70 x 12, 12, 12

Good squats. DL, not so much. Keep getting pressure in my lower spine and it makes me consider dropping heavy DLs.

[Millz12323]

I concur about volume squats being death. I ran pretty high volume for a few months earlier this year and you kinda get used to it. But you're pushing hella more weight on them then I did so maybe it might just continue to be hell.

I think your Deadlift could be stronger if you maybe tweaked the way you do it a little.

It's a hard to tell but it looks like your shoulders are behind the bar when the bar leaves the floor which theoretically should make it hard to pull a really heavy weight.

Here's a pretty good video that talks about this.

https://youtu.be/NYN3UGCYisk

I noticed a few weeks ago when I watched myself pull conventional that I actually TRY to pull from the same position that you pull from but the bar doesn't leave the floor until My shoulders sort of get in front of the bar and my hips come up. I think it may shift more of the load to my hamstrings and glutes and less on the lower back and quads.

https://imgur.com/gallery/KEjK0kO

Not sure if that will be of any help but it doesn't hurt to explore different avenues before dropping one of the big 3.

[ECGordyn]

It seems I've tweaked my DL form a hundred times but still can't get the hang of it. Might try sumo. Baraki's cues in that vid are useful for sure. Can't open your imgur right now but I'll try later.

[ECGordyn]

Week 2 PU

Bench
230 x 5, 5, 5, 5

Pendlay
215 x 5, 5, 5, 5

OHP
140 x 8, 8, 6

Pulldown
75 x 8, 8, 8, 6

Pec deck
65 x 12, 12, 10

[Millz12323]

It seems I've tweaked my DL form a hundred times but still can't get the hang of it. Might try sumo. Baraki's cues in that vid are useful for sure. Can't open your imgur right now but I'll try later.

That's kind of frustrating but it makes sense that you cant have the anatomy to be gifted at all 3 of the main movements.

My Deadlift also got stuck for a long period last year where I was bulking but not adding any weight to the bar. Was pulling 405 for 1-3 reps on a good day and 0 on a so-so day. That's when I decided to give sumo a 3 month run and have stuck with it since. It's substantially easier on the low back but it took me several weeks for my hips to get used to.

Edit : Just realized you do all your OHP press work without a belt or wrist wraps. Strong mothafkr. I get quite a lot of extra power from the belt with it

[ECGordyn]

A belt on OHP never seemed to help me, I've tried it a couple of times.

If I switch to sumo, I'll need to switch to LB squat like you suggested I do a while back. Will probably get the hang of sumo first and then get the hang of LB.

[dazitmayn]

A belt on OHP never seemed to help me, I've tried it a couple of times.

If I switch to sumo, I'll need to switch to LB squat like you suggested I do a while back. Will probably get the hang of sumo first and then get the hang of LB.

u don't need to switch to LB if you do sumo. screw all of that noise. sumo and conventional are more similar than what anybody thinks. sumo is jus very slightly more quads and conventional is more spinal erectors. switch to LB only if you want to. you certainly don't have to.

if anything, switch to sumo as your main movement and do conventional for less weight but more volume or just do RDLs. if you want to strengthen your lower back just do some back extensions. the whole imbalance issue is grossly overhyped and even if it isn't there's an easy fix for it that doesn't involve doing an exercise you may ultimately not like but out of some sort of weird misconception that you absolutely have to. High bar and sumo is perfectly fine. also nice log and strong lifts.

It seems like you let the bar get in front of you a bit on your deadlifts, make sure you load the glutes and hammies and really make sure your lats are tight (squeezing the arm pits is a good cue). everything tight as humanly possible and accelerate while hinging thru hips

[Millz12323]

u don't need to switch to LB if you do sumo. screw all of that noise. sumo and conventional are more similar than what anybody thinks. sumo is jus very slightly more quads and conventional is more spinal erectors. switch to LB only if you want to. you certainly don't have to.

if anything, switch to sumo as your main movement and do conventional for less weight but more volume or just do RDLs. if you want to strengthen your lower back just do some back extensions. the whole imbalance issue is grossly overhyped and even if it isn't there's an easy fix for it that doesn't involve doing an exercise you may ultimately not like but out of some sort of weird misconception that you absolutely have to. High bar and sumo is perfectly fine. also nice log and strong lifts.

It seems like you let the bar get in front of you a bit on your deadlifts, make sure you load the glutes and hammies and really make sure your lats are tight (squeezing the arm pits is a good cue). everything tight as humanly possible and accelerate while hinging thru hips

I know I had said that earlier but I've since changed my mind and I completely with dazitmayn. Nothing wrong with high bar and sumo.

[ECGordyn]

Week 2 HL

Squat
285 x 10, 10, 10, 10

Sumo
295 x 5, 5, 5, 5

Cable crunches
70 x 20, 18, 15

Light on sumo while I try it out. Plan to stick with it for a while and compare it to conv. Need to keep my quads flexed at lockout, I let them go soft on some reps.

[Millz12323]

Week 2 HL

Squat
285 x 10, 10, 10, 10

Sumo
295 x 5, 5, 5, 5

Cable crunches
70 x 20, 18, 15

Light on sumo while I try it out. Plan to stick with it for a while and compare it to conv. Need to keep my quads flexed at lockout, I let them go soft on some reps.

Good stuff man. Just to share my experience.... It took my hips about 3 ish weeks to get used to pulling sumo regularly. I would wake up the next day with pretty bad hip pain that would subside throughout the day. I get zero hip discomfort nowadays from it.

[NomadicApe]

Like others have said, a combo of High Bar Squat and Sumo Deadlift doesnt matter all that much. Bryce Lewis does exactly that in competition, works well for him!

[ECGordyn]

Thanks guys for following along.

No hip pain yet but quads and adducts definitely feel worked.

I'll post a sumo form check over in the exercises section, side view and front view. Hips might be too low but that's where my hips feel "anchored" and everything else feels tight. Following the anchor cue from Brazos Valley Barbell.

[ECGordyn]

Week 2 HU

Bench
195 x 10, 10, 10, 10

Pendlay
215 x 8, 8, 8, 6

OHP
125 x 10, 10, 10

Pulldown
65 x 12, 12, 10

Pec deck
65 x 12, 12, 10

Bench moved well. Ran outta gas on Pendlays.

[ECGordyn]

Week 3 PL

Squat
345 x 5, 5, 5, 5

Sumo
295 x 1

RDL
295 x 10, 10, 10

Cable crunches
70 x 20, 15, 18

Squats felt heavy, don't know how I pulled off all 4 sets. Sumo felt awkward as sh*t, ditched it for some volume RDLs.

[ECGordyn]

Week 3 PU

Bench
235 x 5, 5, 5, 5

Cable rows wide grip to chest
60 x 10, 10, 10, 10

OHP
145 x 8, 7, 8

Pulldown
75 x 10, 7
70 x 7

Pec deck
70 x 10, 10, 10

Bench and OHP went pretty well.

[ECGordyn]

Week 3 HL

Squat
290 x 8, 8, 8, 8

RDL
295 x 10, 9, 8

Cable crunches
70 x 10, 10, 10

Felt heavy today.

[ECGordyn]

Week 3 HU

Bench
200 x 10, 10, 10, 10

Pendlay
205 x 8, 8, 8, 8

OHP
130 x 10, 9, 8

Pulldown
70 x 10, 10, 8

Pec deck
70 x 11, 10, 8

Satisfied with everything considering nutrition/calories/protein had been sub-par since Friday. Just a lazy weekend living life.

[ECGordyn]

Week 4 PL

Squat
350 x 4, 3

RDL
295 x 10, 8, 8

Had no power for squats, maybe cause I've eaten less than average since Friday.

[ECGordyn]

Week 4 PU

Bench
242 x 5, 5, 5, 5

Pendlay
209 x 10, 10, 10, 10

OHP
132 x 10, 10, 9

Pullups neutral grip
BW x 8, 8, 6

Pec deck
Level 11 x 12, 12, 12

Really good workout, might have been fun in a new gym, or might have been 2 boxes of Kraft mac n cheese for lunch. Numbers look weird because these plates are weird increments: 55, 44, 33, 22, 11, 5.5, 2.75. Weighed the bar at 20 kg. Almost failed the last rep of bench but my elbows lock out right before the guy helps me rack it. Had to clean OHP from the floor because this gym has no. f*cking. squat. rack. Otherwise all good.

[Millz12323]

Really weird setup with those plates.

You clearly had that bench.

Lol @ no racks. I heard that real men clean their OHP from the floor anyway

Strong AF pendlays

[ECGordyn]

About 10 months ago I started cleaning OHP every workout until it jacked up my shoulders. Too much internal rotation while explosively pulling heavy weight was a bad combination. 6 months I had shoulder pain from that, now I'll do it sparingly. Was fun tho, throwing the bar down from lockout, lol.

[ECGordyn]

Week 4 off program

Bench
205 x 10, 10, 10, 10

DL
345 x 4, 3

Pendlay
185 x 5, 5, 5

Cable crunches
70 x 15, 12, 12

Pullups neutral grip
BW x 8, 8, 6

Went off program and did a random workout. Wanted to try deads again, didn't feel like squatting. Get some knee pain sometimes.
Bench went well, DL was a big disappointment. For some reason these just don't feel comfortable in my back anymore. Will stick to RDLs for a while.

[ECGordyn]

Off program again

Bench
210 x 10, 9, 9, 8

Pendlay
205 x 10, 10, 10, 10

OHP
135 x 5, 5, 5, 5

Pullups neutral grip
9, 8, 8

I really need to get back to squatting.