12/24 SE Bench, Errr...New RAW PR

RAW Bench 135x5, 185x3, 225x2, 275x1, 320x3, 345x1, 365x1PR, 320x2x3
Floor Press 275x4x5
Lat Pulldown 140x6x5
Olympic Grip Upright Row 135x6x5

Was only planning on working up to 320 for 3 sets of 3, after I got to the first set I decided to set a new PR for 1 Rep. This was a nice strong attempt considering I had already hit 320 for 3. Flirted with the idea of going higher but decided to do a couple drop sets. Pretty good outing tonight considering it was only supposed to be an SE night. But, acting on something I heard Louie Simmons say, if your feeling it, just go with it. You dont get the chance every outing. Plus with the impending Deload I figured what the hell.

Onto Floor Press, these were paused and Definitely felt them in the Triceps, good shit I tell you. The Lats and Uprights were pretty useful as well.

What can I say, its Christmas Eve, the Patriots won, and I hit a PR...Happy Holidays indeed.

Keep it Dark, Keep it Heavy!!!

12/21 DE Squat

SSB Box Squat 225x8x2
SLDL 315x3x5
Hanging Ab Raise 3x8
Avg Band Leg Curls 3x10

I really dig doing Speed work with the Safety Squat Bar!!! Makes my lower back pump 10 times worse than a normal bar, good shit I tell you!!!

Speed was great and I felt the snap off the Box was some of the best I have ever had, very happy with the results. The rest of the work out was a bit of a "Git er Done and get upstairs". As I beat myself up with the Big 3 this week I thought it was best to take it a easy on this night so there you have it.

Again, next week is a sort of De-Load week, my approach will be as follows. I will still go Heavy on the Squat/DL side of things but will do No assistance. However, on the Bench side of tings I will go with Assistance only and no full range benching. I will most likely do some sort of CG board pressing but that will be it and only to hit the Tri's. Well, thats it for now, next stop, DE Bench.....

12/20 ME Bench - An Old Shirt Comes to Life

RAW 135x5, 185x3, 225x3, 275x2, 325x2
Rage (Old Shirt) 365x1, 385x2x1PR, 400x3x1PR
2 Bd CGBP w/Chains 315x3x3
Seated Rows 200x4x6
Shrugs 365x4x6

Decided to throw on the old Rage and see what I could do in it. I will use next week as a Deload week for two reasons, I think I need one, and two, ME Bench Day happens to fall on the same day my Daughter will enter this world.

So I worked up to 325x2 RAW before putting on the shirt, this is the same shirt I got 375 with at a bench meet in october, so expectations werent too high. 365 was ugly, out of groove and my legs were all over the place. 385 on the first was no different, I wasnt concentrating and for some reason was benching on my tippy toes. I couldnt get my heels down for nothing...this is not normal. I still got 385 with a grind but decided to take it again and hammer the form. This time it flew up, onto 400. These were a bit harder as the unracking of the weight makes it hard to set up. I have to stay in the starting position a bit longer to get the form to settle in before I lift. I decided to go with 3 singles and call it a day before moving on to 2 BD CGBP w/Chains. The singles were strong and would have passed in any fed, good pause, held at lockout, etc...

It was weird going back to this shirt from the EHPHD. This Rage is a bit big for me sizing in at 54, though when I pulled the sucker down it was working pretty well. I think I may get this shirt altered and have the sleeves shortened and maybe the plate taken in a bit, still undecided. But, all in all this benching went pretty well, its always nice to hold heavier weights in your hands.

The rest of the workout was quite uneventful, I was sort of beat after the benching and almost called it a night. Glad I didnt as it all felt quite productive none the less.

Like I stated before, next week will be a deload, I will try to post but with the holiday and the birth of my daughter I may be tied up, so until next time....Keep It Dark, Keep It Heavy!!!

Sage Advice From A Smart Lifter

12/18 Squat Opener and DL PR

Geared Squat
Straps Down 135x5, 185x2, 225x2, 275x1, 365x1, 405x1,455x1
Straps Up w/Wraps 500x1, 525x1, 550x1
Deadlift 225x1, 315x1, 405x1, 475x1, 530x1PR

Had a pretty good night, worked up to a potential Squat opener of a meet in May (I know, got a long time until then) but I hope to hit an APA meet in Keene if they have it again this year in Feb. Gotta check the schedule....

As stated I went straps down to 455 and decided I ought to put the straps up with a lighter weight so as not to be in for any surprises. I have only used gear like twice in my life so I dont really know how it affects my form. Rick was over and we gave verbal cues for depth to ensure we werent inflating our numbers at all. From 455 I went to 505 and must say, I HATE KNEE WRAPS!!! The energy expended in putting them on, coupled with the loss of breath had me light headed as I got under the bar, thought for sure I would pass out before I even started the lift. The weights up to 550 all felt light on the back and the hardest part was dealing with the friggin wraps that not only hurt when cinched in, but takes your breath away before you even attempt a lift.....ugh!!! and I thought the bench shirt was bad!! No worries though, the 550 was smoked and I am quite sure after more time in the gear and considering other factors I will be good for anywhere between 600-650 come meet time. I should note that all day my knees felt like shit from a workout I did over the weekend involving Plyo-Jumps, whence the confidence in my projected numbers.

Next up was Deadlifts, definitely was not feeling it on these. After the Squats I was pretty beat, but we had already planned on doing them. Plus we cut the squats short in anticipation of going heavy on deads. Every single one of these felt like a ton, all the way from the 225 up to the 530. I thought I was done for on the 475 and said fuck it, lets throw on 530, last time we got together I pulled 525 with a hitch and no prior squatting, so my confidence was in the crapper for this attempt. Surprisingly I pulled the fucker and got it with no hitching, Woo-Hoo a new PR for this godforsaken lift!!!

That about wrapped it up, I messed around with the 550 on DL and various stances to see how far I could crack it from the floor. I was so wiped that the furthest I got it was an inch or two off the floor. Total waste of time but good to know. 550 is my next mini goal on the DL, if I had performed this lift alone I am pretty sure I could get it....there's always next time.

And so, from salada tea and me, Keep it Dark, Keep it Heavy!!!

12/16 DE Bench

Speed Bench (Paused) 205x9x3
Floor Press (Paused) 275x4x4
Lat Pull Down 140x5x5
Oly Grip Upright Row 135x5x5

Short and Sweet, dont really rememebr what I was thinking as it was done a couple days ago.....

12/14 DE Squat

DE Box Squat 300x8x2
SLDL 295x3, 315x4x3

Short and sweet, will hit the accessories tomorrow....not much to say really....

12/13 ME Bench

Bench Press RAWWWW!!! 135x8, 185x5, 225x3, 275x3, 320x2, 345x2x2
CG 2 Board w/Chains 275,3, 295,2x3, 315x3
Seated Rows 170x4x8
Shrugs 315x4x8

Pretty good night, was undecided on what ME movement I wanted to do so I decided to see what all the fuss is about with the RAW lifting. Like I'm a real gear whore anyway. The old shoulder held up great through the regular bench, but the 2BD CGBP w/Chains kinda made it hurt a bit. I was quite happy with the 345x2x2 as my previous RAW gym max was 355 touch and go and more than likely ass off the bench. These were performed with strict form and felt really strong, am happy with the RAW strength on bench as its not really a primary focus. This is noentheless a PR, my RAW goal eventually is 405, should be able too get there within a year if all goes well. The good thing about doing all that shirt work with over 400lbs is the 345 felt light in the hands. But i'll tell you what, you sure as hell miss the pop in the bottom that you get from a shirt.

The rest was pretty ho-hum and nothing to write home to mom about, was pretty beat after the benching and could only muster the pathetic weights shown for 2BD. What can you do? They dont have a 2 Board Competition anyway now do they?

I havent done shrugs in ages an this morning I defnitely feel the old trap-a-roonies, 2 more weeks of this movement, I expect to crank the intesity up to work the old yoke. Oh yeah, seated rows, whoop-dee-doo-doo....Did em, done, good......

Well I stuck to the Squat aspect of the plan I laid out this cycle and feel I really pushed it in that aspect. The bench however still needs to be addressed, the shoulder is still flaky but usable, so it aint so bad. The good thing is I got plenty of time, the bad thing is, it will take alot of time. But in the end it's all worth it right?

Keep it Dark, Keep it Heavy!!!

12/11 ME Squat and a Story

SSB High BOx 115x10, 155x5, 245x5, 335x3, 385x2, 425x2, 445x1PR 425x2x1
Speed DL 275x3x3
KB Swing Thru Single Arm 53x6x6
Ab Wheel 4x10

Pretty good workout considering I think I just got rid of my twisted nut. Yep you heard that right folks, for the second time in my life I have fallen victim to this annoying malady. Not sure how it did this time but it aint no fun. With a Twisted nut you feel like someone is pinching your balls all day and all night, not hard, just slightly enough to cause discomfort. While riding in my bouncy Jeep to get my kid from school I "adjusted" myself and felt it go back, Phew!!! There is still some residual discomfort but nothing too bad, more of an annoyance.

To satisfy anyones curiosity out there, the first time I was stricken with this condition was when I was in the Air Force. Every Sunday night we had to clean the floors of our facility. This place had a long hallway then double doors at the end. A couple of buddies, I now use that term loosely, bet me that I couldnt ride a Chair w/Wheels down the hallway and get up enough speed to break through the double doors and clear the landing outside. Well, I did. And in the process the door knob hit me in the back and bruised my kidneys and some how or another I twisted a nut. This incident also led to my first experience of having a doctor shove a finger up my ass, but that is a whole other story. For my efforts I won a 12 pack of beer and ten bucks. Anyway, this is a powelifting blog right? On with the show....

SSB High Box were brutal as usual, the old right nut was kinda twingy and had my concentration in places other than the squat. But I pressed on and stood up with a PR of 445 for a single, lower than I wanted, but just what I got. To stay with the tradition of this methodology, I performed two more singles with 95% of the days max, that would be 425.

Next up on the plate was Speed DL's. These were performed with a complete reset whereby after each rep I would step back, re-approach the bar and pull another with as much force as possible. After three I would rest for 30 seconds and do it again. These felt good and fast and the form was spot on....good shit.

Well this week the KB's didnt hurt my shoulder as bad so I perform 6 sets of 6 and super setted it with the Ab Wheel. Last week I made fun of the Fred Flintstone like implement and will not do so this week. The Ab Wheel gods had a laugh at me last week by giving me a sore belly and an abnormal level of laughter...Ab Wheel equals good!!

Considering the tenderness of my nether region, I thought this workout went well. Twisted nut aside my body feels better, not sure if the skipping last two DE Squat days has caused this or not. But my lower back is not stiff at all and felt strong throughout. I will start back with the DE Squat and be more diligent in my workouts. This may be hard as on Dec 27th my daughter will arrive in this world and may have something to say about it....but I will try.....so unitl then.....you know the rest......

12/10 DE Bench

DE Bench 205x9x3
CG (Paused) Floor Press 275x2x3, 295x2x3,x275x3
Lat Pull Down 120x4x6
BB Olympic Grip Upright Row 115x4x6

Short, Sweet, and Unmotivated.....Gotta love lazy Sundays.......

12/06 ME Bench Shirted w/Rick

Raw Warm-Up 95x8. 135x5, 185x5, 225x3, 275x2, 315x1
Shirted Bench (HPHD I think) 365x1, 405x1, 435xMiss 440x1PR, 455 Stapled!!!
CG 2BD w/Chains 225x3, 245x3, 275x3, 295x3x3

Tonight went better than expected. I wasnt in the best mood to lift, I was still sore from Mondays workout.

Well, it has been determined that the shirt I got is not in fact a RAGE X but is more than Likely an HPHD from Inzer, either way I dont really care as the results are well worth the $44 dollars spent. I actually like this material better than the rage material as it is easier to get on and adjusted, only takes around a minute, then minor tweaking before attempts. I may still get a RAGE X in the proper size to see what that bitch can do for me. Anyway, on with the hoot-nanny.

The 365 was grooveless and nothing to write home to ma about, the 405 was about the same, at that point I am sure Rick thought I was fibbing about the 425 last week. Then the 435 got out of groove and I couldnt lock it out, I got the right side done but couldnt get the left, which is unusual, normally it is just the opposite and my right side flakes out on me. Either way, I was quite confident as I called for 440, I knew I didnt utilize leg drive on the 435 and the set-up wasnt very good. I lowered the weight nice and slowly, stopped and slammed it home, easy peasy lemon squeezy!!! I swear if I could remember to do all the things right at once, every time, I could press a hell of alot more. After this victory i took a page out of Icarus' playbook and called for 455, this sucker stapled me, due to many things.

1. Concentration not 100%

2. Groove, What Groove?

3. Poor Set-up, dont think I was really ready

4. Who knows what else, fatigue? (I am up to 220 and conditioning aint what is used to be)

I fought the weight down and for some stupid reason didnt utilize leg drive, cuz I'm so friggin strong I can just Horse up 455, yeah right!! I really should have just stopped at the 440, live and learn I guess.

That was about it for the shirted bench, then we took the chains for a ride on the 2BD CGBP. The motivation was definitely down, after the shirt I felt pretty beat and would have rather taken a nap. But we pressed on and ripped out some pretty useful presses.

All in all I was quite happy with the workout and will finish up the assistance work tonight. This shirt has made benching fun again, and with the shoulder on the mend I am really enjoying this game again. Well folks, here's to getting strong!!!

Keep it Dark, Keep it Heavy!!!

12/04 ME Squat

SSB High Box (Parallel) 155x5, 205x5, 245x3, 335x2, 385x2, 405x2, 425x2
Deficit Pulls Against Mini's 255x3x3
KB Single Arm Swing Thru 53x5x5
Ab Wheel 4x10

Nothing too flashy tonight, gonna do some ME Gear work with Rick next Monday so i kinda pussed out tonight and took it fairly easy, had a headache anyway and am fighting off the flu or something. But still, this bar always gives me a tough time, it amazes me the difficulty of this thing, truly humbling. I figure to hit these for a full 3 week cycle after me and Rick get together, these should throw a couple more pounds on the old Squat and DL. I know so far they have definitely thickened out my back. Good Shit man!!

Ahhh....The Deficit Pulls against Mini's, these suck no matter how you slice it. Your at an awkward position, your beat from the other movement, bands beat the shit out of you anyway.....yadda yadda...I performed these with a complete reset and set-up between each rep, really focused on the set-up, then pulled as fast and as hard as i could. This was more of a DE/RE approach but i like it that way. I find i get worked harder when i do total resets on all my pulls rather than get in a groove and just buzz along. Different strokes right?

The KB single swings really had my right shoulder hurting, this was weird, because for the last 3 weeks i have been doing the Double Handed variety with no pain, will keep an eye on this and adjust accordingly.

And Last but not least, the most intense exercise ever developed, the fast track to overtraining, the gut buster extraordinaire......The Ab wheel for 4 crushing sets of 10!!!! Actually today my abs are quite sore from this seemingly pussified movement, so i really shouldnt bag on it all that much.

Thats it, nothing more, nothing less.......Keep it Dark, Keep it Heavy!!!

12/03 RE Bench

Paused Bench 135x8, 185x5, 225x3, 275x4x4
CGBP (The Gamut) 225x5
Lat Pull Down 100x3x10
Upright Row 105x3x8

Took it fairly easy tonight and am trying to ease back into the whole bench pressing routine. I will start back up with the traditional Westside approach next week. Not that I have really strayed too far from the path. Decided to do some RE work on the bench with paused reps at 80% of my last RAW max.. A good thing is the shoulder didnt hurt afterward. The reps were all paused for around 2-3 seconds and pressed as fast as i could possibly do them. Nothing too strenuous, but defnitely felt as though I accomplished something.

Next up was a new idea I copped from Jim Wendler at Elitefts. I just took a bar weight of 225 and performed Close Grip Bench Press first to the chest, then to a 1 Board, 2 Board, 3 Board, and finally to a 4 Board. I took 30 seconds rest between the sets which turned out to be about enough time to set up the boards. Again, all sets were paused and I really concentrated on a full body contraction to lockout. I was quite winded by the time I got to the 4th board.

Finished out with some Lat Pulldowns and Upright rows. This was an extremely short workout as I got to it late in the night with all the football going on. Total workout time was 27 minutes including a quick warmup, I was flying needless to say.

Thats it from here, next up is ME Squat/DL, which i believe will involve High Box SSB, possibly with chains or bands....havent decided, gotta check the schedule.......

Skipped DE Squat For No Good Reason

Pussy!!!

11/30 ME Bench-New Shirt

Raw Warm-up 135x5, 185x5, 225x3, 275x2, 315x1
Shirted Bench Rage X Size 50 365x1, 385x1, 405x1, 425x1
CG 4 BD BP (Paused) 365x4x3
EDT 12 Min Pr Zone
Pendalay Rows 215x3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3
Rear Delts 45x3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3

Needless to say I am happy with my latest purchase. The Rage X is a different material than the Rage and seems to have more in the bottom. Also, this is way easier to get on by myself, I attribute this to the material. Where the Rage is more of an abrasive material the Rage X is more pliable and smooth. ALso doesnt cut into me like the Rage, which is actually a size or two too big. For $45.00 you cant beat it, and its in great shape.

The shoulder held up pretty well, it was still a bit painful from squatting the other day, but as always, when I bench it doesnt really hurt, weird but i'll deal with it. It definitely wasnt as bad as in the past. The warm-ups felt nice and when I got to 315 it felt as if I could have gotten 3-4, but that was not what this night was about.

So i put on the RAGE X...

365 was rough as I had no idea where the groove was, I almost broke my wrists by the feel of it and this was more of a grind than it should have been. So in typical fashion I said fuck it, there aint no way I am gonna only get 365 with this sucker!!

Up to 385, again a grind, couldnt get the feel right, and just felt like a mess. Stop? Nah, lets see if we cant break something.....

Put on 405, now this shit flew up, everything fired right and the groove must have been hit, now if only I can rememebr it. This weight felt like 315 RAW, very powerful and controlled. I may have sharted a bit due to the surprise. So with new found confidence I threw on another 20 lbs...

Not so well, but I got it. With the 425 I had a hard time getting the weight down and the path probably looked like a "S-Curve" riddled road. I hit the bar low and had to fight the bastard to get back in line, then the shirt ended and I had to muscle this puppy up from an awkwad position. I ended up getting it after what seemed an eternity. Satisfied with this outing after not doing much in the way of Bench the last month or so, I called it a night with the shirt. Very happy indeed!!!

CG 4BD I took it fairly easy as the last set of shirted bench took alot out of me, and the wrap up EDT stuff was grueling as per usual. So thats about it from my neck of the woods. I actually cant wait to get in this sucker later on when I have a spotter (You Reading Rick?) to give lift offs and help get the shirt on better. I guess the RAGE X lives up to all the accolades, good shit indeed...

Now I must venture on to the net for this picture I've hearing of featuring Brittany Spears with no underwear....a mans dream come true....


Keep It Dark, Keep It Heavy!!!!

11/28 Me Squat/DL

High Box Squat w/Chains 275x5, 330x3, 385x2, 440x1, 495x1, 525x1, 560x1PR
Block Pulls (2 inches Below Knee) 475x2, 525x2, 555x2

Well i learned a few things tonight....

1. My new EliteFTS Retro PL'ing Belt is gonna be awesome for DL, but my Squat Belt will most definitely remain the Forever Lever Belt. I just couldnt get the Retro Belt tight enough to support me on the heavier weights. But for pulling it was great as it allowed me to get down better. And i dont mean get down like J.J Evans From Good Times......Dynomite!!!

2. I think my shoulder pain is actually being caused from Squatting. I am gonna read up on this and try to alleviate it with this approach. All this rehab crap and lack of heavy pressing hasnt caused a change. What remains? a heavy barbell accross my back with me trying to squeeze the hell out of it. I also simulated the movement of squeezing the Barbell and found this is the movement that causes it to hurt. I believe it may be a combination of a pull caused from lack of flexibility. Admittedly i dont have much flexibility in the shoulders. Time will tell, but from here until this sucker is gone i will press heavy in a shirt. This will benefit me twofold, one being that i will get accustomed to my new Size 50 Rage X i got off ebay, and 2, i will protect the shoulder a bit, oh yeah, and three ( i know i said twofold) my triceps will get hit in a more productive manner. Those Kickbacks i have been secretly performing arent cutting the mustard!!! JK

Anyway, onto the workout. i was all motivated at lunch and at work, and semi-motivated when i got down to the basement. But i almost missed horribly at 495 and called it quits. But then i thought about what the hell happened....Was i overtrainined? Dunno, was the weight too heavy? Nope.....i was just being a jive turkey and not concentrating. I put 525 on and smoked it like Panama red. Then on the last set i went for 560 and wished i had thrown on 10lbs more, at which point i have no more weight in my basement so i must buy some more 45's. I got the 560 with some piss poor form because i broke at my knees first rather than push back at the hips first. With better form 570 would have been owned. Regardless i got 560 with shit form and am quite happy.

From there i decided to pull from blocks where the bar is placed 2 inches below my kneecaps, i measured it with a micrometer to satisfy my curiosity. I pulled 475 for 2 easy ones, then jumped to 525 for another easy double. I ended on 555 for a double and was gonna do one more with 565 or 570 but pussed out and called it a night...tomorrow i will finish up with my accessory crap.

All in all it was a good night. I am digging the new attitude i have taken on. Rather than read and learn about how to get stronger like most keyboard quarterbacks. I said fuck it and started loading up the bar.

What better way to get stronger? Read some obscure text written by some strength coah 500 years ago for an athlete juiced to the gills..... nah,

Visit forums in hopes of finding the holy grail?....nope.....

Lift, Eat, Sleep, and repeat? ......Seems to be working so far...


Keep it Dark, Keep it Heavy?

11/25 Shoulder/Pec Rehab

Illegal Wides 4x20
Mini-Band Flyes 4x20
Tricep Ext 4x10--------DB Rows 4x10 Front Delts 4x10 >--S/S w/30 Rests beteen exercises---really gay!!
Side Delt 4x10 /
Rear Delt 4x10---------/

This was a rehabilitory thingy for my shoulder and was extremely low in intensity but goddamn it got some blood into the upper back!!! Thats about all igot to say about that...Onto ME SQ/DL Recap...

11/21 ME Squat

High Box Squat (Parallel) w/Chains 135x5, 185x3, 225x3, 315x2, 405x2, 455x2, 505x2, 525x1, 550x1PR
Wide Stance SSB GM's into chains 205x3, 225x3x3

Not too shabby for only having around 4 hrs sleep last night. My old lady is around 8 months pregnant and the snoring can be heard all the way to Mozambique!!! So after a few hours of trying to fall asleep i made my way downstairs to the couch to sleep, or should i say lay awake like a friggin insomniac!!! Oh well, such is life....

I worked my way up to 550 for a single, i contemplated doubling it but figured i would pass out on the way up as my air was depleted. This was quite a brutal workout for me even though it was only two movements. But i felt pretty good about it as the speed on the heavy sets was excellent. I really felt like everything was firing well and my body was super tight. I actually found the hardest part was walking the shit out as the chains kinda drag on the floor and cause a bit of a sway to the bar. Definitely will help with stabilization of the load with bar only.

The explosion off the box was better than it has been in the past, not sure if working with bands has help this or all the SSB work causing my midsection to be tense as hell, hence better energy transfer through the body to lockoutout. I will have to analyze what i have been doing. I know part of my progress has been bodyweight (am up to 218lbs), but another part is psychological. I have taken a "Shit-or-get-off-the-Pot" mentality and believe that it has helped alot. I have decided to use heavier weight (relative to my strength level) and say fuck the overtraining balancing act, if it happens, it happens. I honestly dont feel that with the poundages i am subjecting myself to that i can truthfully attain this condition. Though as my strength level increases i will have to keep an eye on it. Whoa that was a bit of a side track.......In Summation: This Squat Workout was a Keeper!!!

Again, i cant say enough about the SSB. This is one of the most versatile bars i can think of and it can be utilized in a number of ways. This friggin thing will thicken your midsection and just give you that feeling like your bulletproof when you press your gut against your belt in the hole. Best investment i have made thus far. GM's with this bar are a grind and you definitelly feel them all the way up your hamstrings, glutes, low back to your traps from trying to keep your head pushed back and not popping off!!! Enormous pressure builds up when you are past parallel and looking back through your legs, hence the lower rep range, but the benefits up to this point are worth the pressure induced headaches....In closing: Wide Stance SSB GM's 3x3, Grueling!!!


Keep it Dark, Keep it Heavy!!!

Last Couple of Workouts.....

Last two workouts.......

11/18 DE Squat
Free Squat w/Avg Bands 225x8x2
Speed Deadlifts 275x4x3
EDT 10 Minute PR Zone
Leg Curls 65x5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5
Hanging Leg Raise BWx5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5


11/19 DE Bench
Decline CGBP 185x12 225x4x8
Dips BWx3x12
EDT 10 Minute PR Zone
Upright Rows 85x5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5
Lat Pull Downs 100x5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5

Nothing fancy.....and nothing fancy to say......

11/15 ME Bench

CG 2 BD Press w/Chains 135x5, 185x3, 225x3, 275x3, 315x2x2, 275x2x5
Illegal Wides (Ultra-Mega Slow) 135x3x12
Mini Band Pushdowns and various Shoulder Crap Supersets
EDT 12 PR Zone Triples
BB Rows (Pendalay) 215x3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3
Rear Delts 40x3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3

Not as good as i anticitpated, went Close Grip on the 2 Bd to rest the shoulder a bit, though it still hurt. Each successive time the pain is less and less so thats a good thing. After the Board Presses i did a bunch of Mini Band Pushdowns and shoulder traction movements, didnt keep track of any of it, just went for like 15 minutes straight of various crap.

I also did some Illegal Wide Bench Press with a molasses tempo, slow as hell, these hurt quite bad but i think they will be worth it in the long run for recuperative purposes. I intertwined these with the traction crap.

Finished out the session with EDT and this was brutal after the Illegal Wides and traction crap, but my upper back was quite pumped and felt like it had accomplished something, definitely a good way to end the session.

I think my tentative plan is for the next 5 or 6 sessions of bench is to go with a more bodybuilding approach to heal this shoulder correctly and lay off any type of ME stuff, i just seem to keep aggravating this thing just when it starts to feel better. So for the next three weeks the only heavy sort of stuff will be in the shirt, and if there is any sort of twinge in the girdle, then i will end the session then and there. With any luck i will be 100% before the meets in the beginning of the year. So, if you would, keep your fingers crossed for me, and Keep it Dark, Keep it Heavy!!!

11/13 ME Squat

High Box Squat w/Chains 135x5, 185x5, 275x3, 315x2, 365x2, 405x2, 455x2, 500x2, 525x2
Wide Stance SSB GM's (into Chains) 185x4x6

Kinda surprised myself tonight. Wasnt planning on getting that high on the Squats. I set the box so it was just around parallel, i took some pictures and all the angles led me to believe it was parallel, it sure as hell felt like it. I only did two movements because the squats took longer than i had anticipated working up to my top sets. I originally planned on hitting around 455 for doubles but that felt way too easy, so i just kept going. The hardest part was unracking the bar, i aint a tall fella and it i should have changed the pin settings oh well. The 500 set was gonna be the end set but after i smoked that weight i figured what the hell, go for it, and 525 fell. The weight felt light on the back, especially on the box (Chains Deloaded) and my speed was good on these, no grinds. Cant wait for the next shot at these, now that i know what i can do. Time now for the GM synopsis....

This variety of Good Mornings with the Safety Squat Bar kick ass, and i literally feel them in my ass, lower back and hamstrings. I performed these into chains that were set a few inches below my belly button which made them harder than i anticipated. But i got em for the reps i intended and called it a night. Tomorrow i will finish the EDT accessory work with KB Swingthroughs and hanging leg raises with a 20 minute incline treadmill walk...Thats it for now folks, take care and Eat at Joe's!!!

11/09 DE Squat/DL

Speed Squats w/Bands 225x9x2
DL Off Platforms (Just Below Knee Level) 405x2, 475x3, 525x3, 545x3

Well i threw a new twist into the mix tonight, the original call was for DE Box Squats with Average Bands, However, i decided to go Free Squat and work on form, depth, etc...This was a good move as it provided me with a chance to work the speed side of things without the box, which i suspect i need. The speed, form, and depth all were good. I really like working with bands as you are forced to generate a alot of force to outrun the bands before they try and topple you. Pain, but good pain. This pain is usually in the form of a wicked lower back pump caused from constantly stabilizing your core and keep from falling forward, and sometimes backward. Anyway, all in all it was fun and different, which nutures interest and motivation.

Onto the next one, Deadlifts from Platforms at 1 inch below knee caps. These new platforms rock!!! They place the bar at the worst possible position for me. Death by design? I'm not sure, i just thought up the idea one day and built the friggin things, a happy mistake i guess. These arent really unlike Rack Pulls but in this case i am able to get the bar lower than if i was in my Squat Rack. I probably should have kept the weight a bit lighter but what the hell, bring on the overtraining, i'll deal with it later....The last set was a bit of a bitch but i "pulled" (Har Har) it out of my ass.

Since i have been lifting in this fashion (pulling more and getting more reps w/90% weights) my upper body thickness has increased and my body weight is up to 218 lbs, getting yoke-i-fied by the day....I have also upped my protein intake since the bench meet and take in around 300 grams a day. I figured out my progress with my BF analyzer the other day. In the last month and a half i have put on 10 lbs, 4 lbs of which were fat. My arm measurement went up to 17.5 inches and my pant legs are pushing the limits of good taste, now i have to wear size 40 waist just to get my legs comfortable, ahh to be short and stubby...Thank god for christmas coming up....I need to overhaul my wardrobe a bit.

Well that is it for now, i must get back to work and help fix some airplanes, just doing my part to keep America flying......ciao!!!




BTW tonight i will finish up with the EDT portion and some light treadmill walking, like you care..........

11/08 ME Bench

2 BD Press w/Chains 135x5, 185x3, 225x3, 275x3, 315x4x2
4 BD Press 315x3, 365x3, 385x2x3
EDT 12 Min Pr Zone (Triples)
BB Row (Pendalay) 215x3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3
Rear Delts 40x3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3

Started out good but by the end of it my pec was killing me, i slapped on some icy hot and finished out, but i am seriously considering backing off this fucker for a good two weeks or so. The 2 Boards were all paused for around 2 seconds then pressed up with no jerking effort, same applied on the 4 Board press. Again no pain until after i let go of the bar and stand up, the only range of motion that seems affected is when i do an upright row sort of movement, not pressing. Kinda weird but what can you do. I will start doing some rehab movements in that plane and see where it takes me, i am sick of this shit and am too bull headed to back off. So i guess i gotta live with it or quit my pissin. Enough of that shit....

EDT was brutal as per usual, i like this pairing of movements as it hits the upper back area hard. by the end of it i am quite pumped and pained, so thats a good thing. I really dig doing the BB rows in this fashion as it totally eliminates any momentum, yeah the weights may be down but i feel it targets the area much better than the traditional bounce & row that you see everywhere....people say they can BB row 315 for 10 reps when in actuality they're doing 315 RDL's with a slight pull at the top...maybe i ought to wait to total elite before i start saying crap like that.....awwww who gives a shit.....Keep it Dark, Keep it Heavy!!!

11/06 ME Squat- Deload

Squat 135x5, 185x5, 225x3, 275x3, 315x3, 365x2, 405x1, 425x2
Rev Hyper 120x4x4
EDT 12 Min PR Zone (Triples)
SLDL 275x3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,4
AB Pull Down 115x3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,4

Yet another ho-hum entry, but what do you expect for a deload week....have no fear fellow readers, next week should get exciting . So be sure to tune in.....

11/05 DE Bench

Speed Bench w/Chains 225x8x3
CGBP w/Chains 275x4x4
EDT 10 min PR Zone
Seated Face Pull 65x5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5
PF Front Raise 30x5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5

DE Day, whoop dee doo doo, as i am late posting this i really have nothing to say.....up next is Deload ME Squat...

11/03 SE DL

Deadlift 135x5, 185x5, 225x3, 275x3, 315x3, 365x1, 405x1, 455x5x1
Pull Throughs 130x4x8
Leg Curls 60x2x15
One Legged Bounding in pool and swimming....

LAst workout at the vacation spot, could only work up to 455 as there was no chalk and i forgot my straps. Oh well, i really didnt want to make this into a ME workout. My lower back was good and fried by the end of this anyway, so all is well.

The Pull Throughs kinda sucked with a tight back but i pressed on, knowing full well i was gonna hit the hot tub in a bit to loosen everything up. After the leg curls i went to the olympic pool and did onel legged bounds up and down for a bunch of sets, then swam a couple laps for good measure. I was pretty wiped out when all was said and done, then i hit the hot tub and washed it all away.....good times, good times....Thats it for now, i think i am heading into a de-load week but am not quite sure, will have to rework the schedule a bit as i didnt take this vacation into account when i designed the original. No worries mate......

11/01 ME Bench-Not Really

Close Grip Bench Press 135x5, 185x5, 225x5, 275x5x3
Smith Machine Pin Press 385x4x6
DB Tri Ext 50x3x8
BB Rows 205x4x6
Shrugs 255x3x12

As i am on vacation this week i am relegated to the crappy gym at the resort, i.e no rack, crappy bench, and nada on the spotters tip. But i trudged on and got a decent workout in, shoulder pain aside. The bench press was close grip, if i only had a spotter!!! I could have gone heavier but with no spotter, this was the rep scheme of the day, still good stuff though.

The Smith Machine Pin Presses were gay, i had to stack some mats under the bar to get the height just right, but it worked. I got the most god awful looks after doing this, kind of amusing to have all the gym ratz on their treadmills sweatin to the oldies looking at me like some sort of abomination, ugh....keep on walkin there Q-tip.....

I decided to be extra obnoxious to the soccers moms all in attendance, so i did the BB Rows penadalay style with a nice loud crash on the floor on each paused rep. Good stuff, the personal trainer dude came to look thru the glass to see what all the noise was, just me being a jive turkey.....woo-hoo

I ended on shrugs and through in super light rear and side delt crap between sets with high reps, didnt keep track of them, but got em in none the less. Well, that is all from Lincoln NH, so from the white mountains to you, if a bear poops in the woods, does it make a smell?

I am an idiot for this post.....

10/30 ME Squat

SSB Low BOx Squat 115x5, 155x5, 245x3, 295x2, 335x1, 365x3x2
Rev Hyper 70x4x6
EDT 12 Min Pr Zone (Triples)
SLDL 255x3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,4
AB Pulldowns 100x3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,4

Well i was all motivated during the day but come lifting time i got a headache from my little rodent acting like a mutant. This has been his thing when he gets home from the sitters. So with headache intact i headed down stairs for one of the most unmotivated yet grueling sessions in a long time. The SSB's were tough as hell as the box is set around 3-4 inches below parallel, thismakes it extremely tough on the lower back. So needless to say my back pumped up to a crazy painful level. At noon i had all the plans in the world to hit a 405 single or something like that, but this was not to happen today, oh well, at least i got my strain on.

Next up was Rev Hyper's which only further tightened my back, what am i doing to myself? Anyway, i pushed thru these and almost quit. Usually when i have a headache while lifting, a couple of heavy sets takes care of it and im alright, not tonight the Bea Arthur!!! My head was pounding, but figuring that i will be on vacation for the rest of the week i pressed on....

EDT was up next and about ended the existence known as me....i had to lay down on the ground in between each superset until my rest period expired, truly grueling and tested my mettle (yes that is spelled right Encyclopedia Brown, go check it out!) Anyway after a 12 minute long argument with myself in my head, i finished this friggin workout and kinda felt like puking, not tonight though thankfully. This was just one of those nights that i chalk up to experience. I got my ME strain in and that is all that counts, i learned from it. I learned that i need to fully stretch out my lower back or i suffer these sort of consequences. I skimped on the stretching today and paid the price....Idiot!!! But that is what life is all about right? Trial & Error? Live & Learn? etc.....whatever .....Keep It Dark, Keep It Heavy!!!

10/29 DE Bench

Speed Bench w/Chains 205x9x3
CGBP w/Chains 255x5x4
EDT 10 Minute Pr Zone
Seated Face Pulls 65x5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5
Front Raise 30x5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5

Speed bench was good, last couple of sets I felt my pec-a-rooni which was kind of depressing. I am gonna be going up to the mountains for the week so I will be able to rest up there, luckily my timeshare has a pretty good gym. So at the most I will miss my ME Bench this week, I probably need it. Like the Jive Turkey I am, I didn’t stop at the Speed Bench and proceeded as planned. The Close Grip stuff didn’t seem to hurt to badly which is good I guess.

On the EDT stuff I upped the weight but kept the reps, thus progress is made as I moved more total weight in the same period of time. Nifty stuff I tell you. Other than that, had a good day trick or treating, he went as a pirate i went as a powerlifter with a broken wing. He and his friends sprinted around the block for like 45 minutes before they succumbed to the cold in their lungs. Got quite quite a bit of grub for such a short jaunt. Later that night I had to administer motrin for sore feet and sore shins (I’m guessing shin-splints), his pain was forgotten around the time he ripped into about 5 lbs of candy, ahhh....what a day....Until next time...Keep it Dark,.....aww you know the rest...

10/26 DE Squat/DL

Speed Box Squat w/Chains 250x8x3
Speed Pulls 265x12x1
EDT 10 Minute Pr Zone
Hanging Leg Raise BWx5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5
Pull Throughs 100x5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5

Things were pretty fast tonight, felt the speed was where it should be and force generated was optimal. Again, I was quite motivated to workout which I think helped with the reps being fast and clean.

The Speed Pulls were done in a different fashion than I usually do them, this is courtesy of Marc Bartley of South Carolina Barbell. I use to do one rep then 30 sec rest, then perform the next. Well after getting a membership to his video section of his website (very inspirational btw) I decided to do them in sets of 3 where between each rep I walk away from the bar and reapproach it then pull. After 3 reps I would rest 30 sec’s and repeat. I liked it better this way and it was more efficient, good shit peeps!!

EDT as usual was grueling, but worth it afterward as I laid on the ground in a sweaty heap, now there’s a visual most of you probably could have gone without. I do like the implementation of this into the Westside Template, cuts down the workout time and guesswork of set/repscheme as well. Keep It Simple Stupid……

10/25 ME Bench

Floor Press w/Minis 135x5, 185x5, 225x3, 245x3, 265x3, 275x3, 285x3
Chain Lockouts 315x3, 345x3, 365x3, 375x3
EDT 12 Min Pr Zone (Triples)
Pull-Ups BWx3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3
Front Raise 20x3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3

Well the pressing portions felt stronger this week. I was figuring to only hit what I did last week with an extra rep or set. The 285 was fast on the first two but on the last rep it was slow as all hell, a grind, but I got it. That’s the shit part about bands, if you don’t hit the tension with some speed its like slamming the brakes on, you just stop. I normally didn’t like this movement but am liking it more and more (Exercise + Bands = Fun). Before I figured out how to do my set up for this the bar would sit high, like a 1 BD press, now I get my set up where in the bottom position it mimics a bench press with legs up. The bottom position is held so there is no bounce, I think if you did attempt to bounce on this one you would most likely break/injure your wrist….good stuff. Only one more week for this one then its de-load…..

The Chain Lockouts were much stronger this week. Not sure what was up with me last week, but everything felt super heavy. Probably because of the meet now that I think of it. This movement is set for two more weeks before I swap it up. I am really glad I bought the 10 feet of chain to do this sort of stuff, it is similar to working with boards but you get no bounce, just a dead stop in the chains then press….painful in a good way!!

The EDT stuff is what is is, very tiring and sweat inducing, and for light weights, painful. This new approach I like, by going with triples it allows you to produce maximum force on each rep, which in turns turns into better muscle recruitment, end diagnosis?……good shit man…..

All in all it was a good workout, I felt well rested and ready when I got down there which always helps. Having a plan is a plus, I always shave some loosely based thing going on but I seem to focus better when I put it to paper and hang it on my dry-erase, I am definitely a visual creature……So from my piece of the galaxy to yours, Keep it Dark, Keep It Heavy!!!

10/23 ME Squat

SSB Low Box 155x5, 205x3, 245x3, 295x2, 335x1 365x2,2,1
Rev Hyper 50x8, 70x3x8
EDT 12 Min PR Zone (Triples)
SLDL 255x3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3
AB Pull Downs 100x3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,

Well needless to say I was wiped after this workout. The low box SSB’s kill me, there’s just something about that bar. The Rev Hypers were quite painful as well, this was due to my lower back being quite pumped and painful after the squats.

Next up was the EDT portion, this was way harder than it looked on paper, in between each superset I had to lay down on the floor and let my back relax. Im not sure what the deal was today but my lowe back was giving me some major issues, plus I am fighting a head cold of sorts…

I was quite happy with myself that I didn’t quit after the hypers because honestly, I wanted to. My numbers were lower than i wanted, my back was killing me, and I could only really breathe thru one nostril…..now that’s what powerlifting is all about!!! Keep it Dark, Keep It Heavy!!!

10/22 DE Bench

Speed Bench w/Chains 185x9x3
CGBP 225x5, 245x3x5
EDT 10 Minute PR Zone
Face Pulls 60x5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5
Front Raise 25x5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5

Short, sweet, and to the point…..oh Yeah, the Patriots Rule!!!

10/19 DE Squat/DL

Speed Box Squats w/Chains 225x8x3
DL’s Off Blocks 405x3, 455x3, 505x3, 525x3

Shortened this workout as I got to it late. Went out for drinks after work with a visitor from Switzerland. Needless to say the O’douls flowed freely like mountain stream. Absolute waste of my time, guess you gotta do what you gotta do huh? Anyways, this workout took place around 9:30 p.m, I was quite tired and already planned on quitting after the pulling. I will hit the accessory crap today after work.
The Squatting was done with briefs and with the widest possible stance my squat rack would allow. These are getting easier but they are still mighty painful, all things come to those who wait right? It better!! Well that’s about it from the land of me, but remember this…next time you have the green apple splatters, and you feel a grumbly in your tumbly, just make your way to the thunder-mug. It aint worth the price of new knickers to see if the sharting has passed

10/18 ME Bench

Floor Press w/minis 135x5, 185x5, 225x3, 245x3, 255x2x3
Chain Lockouts 315x3, 345x3x3
EDT 12 Minute PR Zone (Triples)
Pull Ups BWx3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3
Side Delts 20x3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3

This workout out took awhile as I had to figure out a way to get the bands to have tension thru the whole range of motion. Finally got it, though I am not sure how I much tension am getting, but it is enough to be painful. These were all performed with a 1 second pause at the bottom, very hard, but should be worth it. The Chain Lockouts were new and way harder than I had anticipated. When the weight settles into the chains at the bottom all stretch reflex is gone, just straight up muscle the weight up. The EDT was surprisingly killer. I went with a slightly different approach and dropped to triples for the sets. This way I can introduce maximal force on each rep, usually on the 5th rep at the end of a normal PR Zone my force output is a lot lower than the first couple of sets. Pretty simple really, more force equals more weight, which in turn equals more strength. Btw al reps are performed with complete stops at the bottom to take away any momentum. Well this is a pretty good starting point for this training cycle. I mapped out an 8 week program, which as usual is subject to change if I feel something aint working right it will be replaced…anyway, its good to have a plan, plans are good. But remember, if it’s a bad plan, recognition and adaptation rule supreme…..Keep It Dark, Keep It Heavy!!!

10/16 ME Squat

Free Squat 135x5, 185x3, 225x3, 275x3, 315x2, 365x2, 405x1, 455x1
Squats Into Chains 455x3x3
Wide Stance SSB GM’s 185x3, 205x3, 225x2x3

Was supposed to do some Rev Hypers and Leg Raises but my redesign for the rev hyper needs to be rethought and took too much time to do, so I will get to them tonight. Squats felt good, still getting use to the pseudo dive bomb approach. My back was sore all day for some reason, probably from sitting onmy ass at work all day thru meetings. I had planned on going higher on the Free Squats but cut it short due to lower back pain, didn’t want to aggravate anything. Pretty standard stuff for first day back froma deload week, which was nice to have btw….now I gotta re-map my plan a bit with a couple meets in mind. Will expound upon this later, until then, Keep It Dark, Keep It Heavy!!!!

Bench Meet Recap

APF Open Bench Meet 10/14/2006

Attempts:

1. 330- Miss, Beat the press command, Idiot

2. 350-Good, Smoked it…

3. 375-Good, fought that sucker for a good ten seconds, shirt was not adjusted correctly and slipped when bar was on chest.

This was actually a fun little meet, there was only 16 lifters so it went quick. There were some pretty good benches this day and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. The finale of the show had this big 310 lb dude get 600 for a lifetime PR and a retirement lift. Said he had been chasing this weight for a long time now and said he will retire and drop the weight after he gets it. Well he did with room to spare.
I was quite happy with my performance given my sore shoulder, though it does seem to be getting better. Warming up it acted up a bit and had me a little worried, but after the first lift, and dumbass miss, I forgot about it and pressed on……I ended up competing in the 220 class at 204, I was trying to cut the weight down to 198 but had a family issue pop up at the last moment which prevented me from doing it. Rick says I won the 220 division but i wasn’t paying attention when my named got announced. Oh well, experience is vital at this stage of the game, cant let that get me down….
Fellow Northeast Barbeller Rick Hussey also competed this day and won the 198 Open Class in his first ever meet. His attempts were as follows:

1. 300- Smoked

2. 320- Smoked again

3. 335- Miss, Mental mistake, started to beat the press command, stopped, then lost momentum. Definitely not a strength related miss…


Recap & Future Plans…..

All around a good day, they will have another one in Feb which I will probably do. I was planning on dong either the APF meet in Meredith or the APA meet in ME in the beginning of November but am still deciding. I forgot about these meets and haven’t really trained for them, plus I would like to let my busted wing heal a bit so I can total a bit better….will give it another week then decide, who knows….I think at this point I have a few meets under my belt and know what to expect, so I may just concentrate on getting stronger, healthier, and gain a bit of weight to compete as a proper 220 lb’er. All the heavy pulling and stuff as of late if making it a bit harder to keep the weight down, plus I love to eat so this will suit me fine…..well with this behind me I will move on in my training and start a new 3 week mini cycle with the aforementioned E.D.T principles thrown in for accessory work to see how this works…..should be fun…….

10/15 Bench Accessory
Close Grip w/Chains 135x5, 185x5, 225x5, 225x5, 225x4
Seated Face Pulls 60x3x12
*Palms Facing Front Raise 20x3x12
*Rear Delt Raise 20x3x12

* = Perform Back to Back to Back, very pump-a-licious…….

10/09 DE Bench

DB Bench Press 70x4x8
Tricep Pushdowns w/minis 60x4x6
EDT 10 Min Pr Zone
Seated Rows 110x5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,6
Shrugs 225x5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,6

Nothing great, just got in there and did some light work.....4 days to go.....

10/08 DE Squat-Last of the Heavies?

SSB Speed Squat 225x8x2
2" High Chain Squats 405x3, 455x3, 500x3, 525x3, 555x3
8" Box Pulls 405x3, 455x3, 525x3

Well, since this is the last day i really have a chance to go heavy i figured i would do the major pulls and squats. I just built some platforms for bench spotting and pullng off of. I thought what better day to use them than today...The speed squats are what they are, somethiing you dont realize benefit you until you are under heavy weight and moving it slowly, thats when you realize how much speed benefits you. The Chain Squats were a last second decision as i dont want to go heavy any closer to the bench meet than this, and even this was probably ill considered. but i wanted to overload my squat form and see what i could do...555 for 3 was the final decision as i had to leave something in the tank for the platform pulls. The pulls were a bitch as i was pretty tapped after the squats, i alomost quit after the first pull as it was a grind...then something kicked in and i said fuck it, this is what i am here for. i went to 455 then 500 and said what the hell, i aint doing no accessory work today, thats for the birds... i went to 525 from what equals mid-shin level and ripped out 3 reps and started cramping on the third so i stopped there.....spent and beat i ventured upstairs to watch the Patriots squeak out a win against the Dolphins!!!....what a great day....all is good in the universe and i am sore....good times, any time you need a payment, good times any time you need a dream....or something like that.................fun for sure......

10/04 ME Bench-Last Shirt Day B4 Comp

10/04 ME Bench-Last Shirt Work Night B4 Comp

Raw Bench 135x5, 185x3, 225x3, 275x1, 300x1
Shirted 340x2x1, 365x2x1, 370x1
4 Board Press320x4x6
[b][i]EDT 10 Min Pr Zone[/i][/b]
BB Rows Pendalay 135x5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5
BW Dips BWx5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5

Tonight went well, i had fellow North East Barbell administrator Richard "I like taking advantage of small furry woodland creatures" Hussey over for one last shirted session before our big bench press comp next weekend. I am still nursing a busted wing but had a good night considering. The weird thing is my shoulder (Pec Insertion to be more precise) doesnt hurt a bit when im pressing, its after my work out when im cooling down and also in the morning when i wake up if i slept on it, still working with trying to sleep on my back, i just cant seem to do it....anyway, enough of that crap, on with the hoot-nanny.....my opener for this meet will be 330, then to 350, then on to 375 or 385, depending on how the weight feels on meet day. I think i could be good for more as soon as i figure this shirt thing out, i am on the right path with pulling the thing down on each heavier attempt so in time i will be a monster bencher!!! HAHAHA....The 4 Boards were Ho-Hum, again taking it easy.....The EDT period was pretty good, Rick did this for the first time and seemed to like it. This stuff pumps the snot out of you and will build up muscle like nobodies business. Good stuff from that Charles Staley fella, by the end of it we were both wiped...on another note my son lifted with us for a bit and hit a PR on the Swiss Ball, he went 5 bounces without falling off and cracking his melon, Good Job Jakob........Thats it for now, Keep It Dark, Keep It Heavy.......

10/02 ME Squat

Low Box Pause on Pins Squat 135x5, 185x5, 225x3, 275x2, 315x2, 365x1, 405x3x1
Wide Stance SSB GM to Pins 135x3, 185x3, 225x2x3

Cut this workout short as i had a headache and generally felt "beat". Tomorrow i will finish up with accessory work. Originally i had planned on doing regular Low Box Squats but set the pins wrong and decided to try a different variation. I Squat down onto the box and rest the weight onto the pins, pause, then squat back up from a static position. These turned out to be quite brutal, a beautiful disaster of sorts. From there i went on to Wide Stance SSB GM's, the last two set sets were brutal and definitely strained me as i rest the bar onto pins in the bottom postion which is set just below the hips. All around good stuff, next time i should crush this weight for doubles or triples, this was more of a feeling out for this movement, justa slight variation on the regular lwo box, but a variant all the same.......until next time, Keep it Dark, Keep it Heavy!!!

10/01 DE Bench

DB Bench 70x5x8
Tricep Pushdown w/minis 60x4x10
EDT 10 Min Pr Zone
Seated Rows 110x5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5
BB Shrugs 225x5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5

Again, taking it a bit easy to let things heal. Nothing too fancy, signed up for the New England Open Bench Press Championship here in Manchester, NH. Should be a lot of fun. I most definitely will not be in top form but the experience is more what i am in it for. I've only been at this for a little over a year so i am a long way away from where i need to get, experience is key.
I also did some Mini Band movements while watching football all daywhich got a bunch of blood into the shoulder area, then i iced it for like a half hour and repeated. another aspect i need to look at is flexibility in my right shoulder. Ever since my "accident" i have noticed it to have a smaller ROM. The good thing is the shoulder doesnt hurt when i am actually pressing, its usually after for an hour or so, not gut wrenching pain but more of a slight "hey, i am still here" sort of weirdness. The good news is it is slowly dissipating each and every time out so i figure with some smart training and throw in some stretching, i currently only do lower body for some reason....need to fix that... i should be fine.
Nothing else to say except that the Patriots kicked some major ass yesterday, and all the media had them written off.....Idiots!!!

09/30 DE Squat/DL Accessory

5 minute treadmill
EDT 10 Minute PR Zone
Pull Throughs 80x5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5
Hanging Leg Raise BWx5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5

Nothing crazy, good sweat, thats it....now go do something.....

09/29 DE Squat/DL

SSB Speed Box Squat 215x8x2
Rack Pulls 315x1, 405x1, 455x1, 500x1, 525x3 545x3

Cut this one short and will do accessory work tomorrow. The rack pulls felt pretty good and had me gassed after the speed work with the SSB. I love that bar btw, definitely is making my low back stronger. Nothing too fancy here, jsut cranked it out quick so i could go fetch my kid from the sitter....anyway, l8r

09/28 ME Bench

Band Assisted Bench Press 185x5, 225x5, 275x3, 315x1, 365x1, 330x2x2, 340x3x2
CG 4BD Press 315x4x6
EDT 10 Min PR Zone
BB Rows (Pendalay)135x5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5
Dips BWx5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5

Had a good night, re-introduced the band assisted Bench. I wasnt gonna do this movement as a ME based on the last couple of tries with it. I couldnt get the bands to set the same way each time i set up, so i wouldnt really know if i was making progress. Well being the ingenius fella i am i found a way to recreate the same band tension each and every time so i can actually track this as a ME movement. I put a bar over the top of the rack and didnt choke the bands. the bands just slide over the two bars and provides no tension at the top and around 50 at the bottom, it deloads fast right off the chest, hence the lower weights used as opposed to previous atttempts with this movement.....well anyway, since next week on ME Day i will be working my opener i figured to get a bit more volume in today, initlaly i jumped to 365 and probably shouldnt have, i got that weight but still should have hit a lower weight for reps considering this is my first week with this exercise. oh well hindsight right? The CG 4DB should have been heavier but i pussed out on them and started feeling like doody after the first exercise....next up was the EDT 10 thingy i am doing, this shit kicks your ass, gets your blood pumping, and makes you wanna pass out. Anybody interested in this thing called E.D.T (Escalating Density Training) can go to www.StaleyTrainingSystems.com or go visit t-nation and do a search on it. I took 20 sec rests between each supersetted pair, this ensured a nice painful 10 minute period....anyway, got 2 more weeks with this stuff in the fold, will let you all know what i think, who knows maybe im onto something here.....until next time Keep It Dark, Keep It Heavy!!!

09/27 ME Squat Accessory Work

5 Minutes on Treadmill

EDT 10 Minute PR Zone
KB Swingthrus (2 Hand) 53x5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5 (55 Total)
Ab Pulldowns 80x5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5 (55 Total)

Well this shit was not the most exciting stuff to do but it needed to get done. I think this incorporation of EDT protocol will help me to focus more on the accessory work that needs to get done for the supporting musculature. Right now i have a 6 week Meso-Cycle planned that will break down into two 3 week minicycles for this sort of thing. At that point i will evaluate whether or not i think it is worth keeping in....stay tuned for more on this ground breaking theory.....next up on the plate.....ME Bench-Movement TBD.....

09/26 ME Squat

Low Box Squat 135x5, 185x5, 225x3, 275x2, 315x2, 365x1, 405x3x2
SLDL 135x8, 225x8, 275x2x8

This looks like an abbreviated workout but i had company for this one. One of my friends is possibly interested in coming to the darkside....this surpisingly took around 1 hour to complete. During the workout i showed him the correct way to box squat and only had him going to a 15" box. He actually had pretty decent form with all things considered. He is toying with the idea of catching the ME days at my place and continuing with his other efforts at his commercial gym. This dude has the body type to be a strong sob. I dont think he realized how much goes into getting stronger. Some people have different definitions of this, he seemed to be a bit lost as he was most likely inclined to doing 3 sets of 10 like the nimrod trainers at his gym most likely teach teach. To those boobs a 225lb bench is strong. In due time, with a bit of luck, i may beable to convert him....anyway, my lifts werent the most intense of all reps but i was definitely gassed after doing them and plan on finishing up the accessory work tonight. Talking in between sets made the actual reps harder as i was a bit out of breathe....oh well, there is always next week...until then, Keep it Dark, Keep it Heavy.........

09/23 DE Squat & 09/24 DE Bench

09/23 DE Squat

DE SSB Box Low 205x8x3
Sumo Speed DL's 255x10x1
SSB GM w/Chains 115x3x8

Was short on time for this so i figured i would throw together a bunch of "Money Exercises", yup they worked , the next day my legs, lower back and posterior was shot. This workout took around 35 minutes to complete. There was no messing around, my lower back was pumped beyond belief by the end of it.....

09/24 DE Bench-Not Really

DB Bench Press 20x20, 40x20, 60x4x8
DB Tri Ext 20x10x10
Hammer Curls 20x10x10
DB Bent Rows 20x10x10

Kind of a weird night, i wanted to rest up my shoulder like i should have last week. took it really easy and decided to hit the groups with some volume. For all you math whizzes out there that is 100 reps for all three of the accessory stuff. I suppersetted each with 30-45 sec rest periods....needless to say this approach got a ton of blood into the area's and i had a pump like Arnold (Drummond from Different Strokes).....wasnt too motivated and went down just so i would feel like a complte slug....The DB Press felt good and were done with the biggest possible stretch i could achieve, a hold, then aDynamic press. I am also working on finding a different way to sleep, i normally sleep with my right arm over my head and in the morning my right shoulder hurts, go figure. So i have been trying to fall asleep in a different postions which in the last few days seems to have helped a bit......time will tell.........until next time, Keep it Dark, Keep it Heavy!!!

09/21 ME Bench -Shirt Work

Bench Press 135x5, 185x5, 225x3, 275x1, 315x1
Shirted 345x5x1, 365x1, 385x1
BW Dips 4x10

Well, i had an epiphany today. Decided to go with bench anyway as my shoulder seemed to be a bit better and didnt really hurt on the warm-ups. Put on the shirt and figured i would experiment with the thing. The following is a description of the attempts and what i found out with this thing:

1. 345x1 Collar High- No Pop out of the bottom, feels more like a RAW bench than it should.

2. 345x1 Collar Down 1/2"- More pop than the previous, but still nothing to write home to mom about.

3. 345x1 Collar Down 1"- Getting there, still having trouble with the set up.

4. 345x1 Collar Down around 1.5-2"- Got the pop i think im looking for but the set-up is still hokey.

5. 345x1 Collar Down, used a crappy Valeo Weight lifting Belt, Collar Down, .5" above nipples, shoulders covered, sleeves rolled up with a 1" Cuff -No Touch!!!! Have not had this happen since owning this shirt!!!

6. 365x1 Same Set-up as #5-I think i have arrived!!!, This was hard to touch and flew to lockout....

7. 385x1 Same Set-up as #5-Yep i think i figured this fucker out....Again slow to touch but flew to lockout...

First things first, i gotta get this sucker altered in the arms. I have always had slack by the elbow joint which i think has attributed itself to me having lockout problems, or that feeling of the shirt fighting me. By "Cuffing" The sleeves i was able to pull the shirt down to a legal level and utilize the shirt better. The Second thing is i gotta get me a thin belt for Benching. Up until last night on the last couple of set's i had been using my Forever LEver Belt @ 13mm thickness which was screwing my set up. I am by no means an arch type bencher but i do have a mini one, and i think this sucker was getting in the way. When i went to the Valeo belt i was much more comfortable in the set-up. It's gonna take a few more sessions in it to get to where i would like to be and get accustomed to the new set-up, but i think i am on the right track...I finished the workout up with Dips as i ran long with the shirt work, i will most likely hit the accessory work tomorrow....Well, here's to getting stronger.......

09/18 ME Squat

Free Squat 135x5, 185x5, 225x3, 275x2, 315x1, 365x1, 405x1, 455x1, 405x2x2
SLDL 135x8, 185x8, 225x8, 275x8
AB Pulldowns 110x3x12
Mini Leg Curls 3x20

Felt pretty good tonight even though i only got about 3 collective hours of sleep last night, dont know what that was about. Guess i was happy the the Patriots won, who knows. This was just one of those workouts that i didnt feel like doing so i got in there and did it then went upstairs. Not much else to say really. I am scheduled for a ME Bench on Weds but may just do accessory work and DB Presses for high reps and give the shoulder a week, still undecided. Thats about it from my keyboard, until next time.....keep it greasy!!!

09/15 SE Bench

SE Bench 95x8, 135x8, 185x8, 225x4x8
Triceps Pushdown 80x4x8
Mini Band shoulder work

Took it fairly easy on the bench press tonight, my right shoulder got aggravated from thinking i was an NFL Quaterback the other day (Idiot!!!) Probably just my rotator cuff acting up from the sudden activity in that ROM...again Idiot!!!On the last set a bit of pain set in so i stopped there, went to triceps and decided my time would be better spent doing some shoulder work with a mini band. I did a bunch of crap for the girdle and didnt keep track of anything, just worked the area fully. I figure i will hit the upper back tomorrow as an accessory day, might throw in some shrugging which doesnt seem to be a ROM that hurts at all. Thank god it doesnt seem to be anything major, but it still pisses me off that my non-lifting life seems to screw with my lifting life, what am i trying to tell myself?......ahhh quit being a pussy and lift big you ass hole......later days willlie mays.......

09/13 The Big Three....Sort of...

Former Blogger Rick came over last night for a ME sort of session. I dont think either of us were quite feeling up to the task but shit happens. We Worked up to singles in the (Shirted) BP, DL and SSB High Box Squat (15").
The Bench press was up first. Neither of us have much experience in shirt work, i believe the correct term would be that We Suck, but with any luck we can get into these more often and figure out how they work. I wll say it was nice to have a lift of for the Bench, took some unnecessary stress off the shoulders. I worked up to a single at 315 RAW then squeezed unto my shirt, a Rage ( not the "x", maybe later). the first one i took was 330, hit that no problem, the second 365 again was no problem. Since i had someone there i decided to give it a go at 385. Off the chest i was fast but stalled around the 2 board range. At that point it felt like the shirt was fighting against me and i hit a brick wall. Not aure what the deal is as i just hit 405 in the 2 board last week, then again maybe that is it and my CNS just wasnt having it that night. Regardless, this seems to be a recurring theme with this shirt thing, so i will have to read a bunch more and work the shirt more. Enough about bench.
Next up was the Deadlift. As any of you who have read my blog knows, i pulled a groin both before and during my last meet. The result has been poor speed off the ground. The shit part is this use to be my best part of this lift. Oh well, after warming up the bar got loaded to 405, i went with a single on this one and thought i was in trouble, the shit moved way to slow to lockout. i stayed the course and went to 455 for my second work set, again slow as all hell....fuck.....what was gonna be my final attempt was 505, i hit that surprisingly well, although slow like molasses, but all in all it felt fairly strong. I took a few minutes rest then put 525, this by the way was gonna be my final attempt at my last meet had i not pulled my groin on the first attempt,. Well, anyway, i pulled the sucker to just sbove the knees and hit the wall, i ended up getting it to lockout but this would most defnitely have been redlighted, although i did see a chick hitch worse than this at a meet and get the state record, go figure....
Originally we had only planned on doing push/pull but Rick has never tried a Saftey Squat Bar and was a bit curious. Probably after having heard me rant about it on my blog. I ended up working up to a very ugly 435 from the 15" box, Quite happy as the week before i hit 425.... up out of the hole i lost my concentration as i remembered i had my DL'ing shoes on and not my chucks, i was very lucky i didnt hurt my back, but who cares, 435lbs fell....
All in all it was a good seesion. It was kind of nice to lift with someone after not having done so for over 7 years (bear in mind i had a 6 year hiatus from the iron). The other thing i realized is it has now been 1 year since i started powerlifting again, damned that flew....i am honestly quit happy with my progress so far and and cant to see where i am in another year, a master's or Elite total in the 198 would be nice....time will tell...until next time, Keep it Dark, Keep it Heavy!!!!

Oh yeah, if anybody is interested, Rick and Myself have started a forum at the following address:

http://nebarbell.proboards56.com/index.cgi

09/07 ME Bench

2 Bd Press 135x5, 185x5, 225x3, 275x2, 315x1, 365x1, 395x1PR, 405x1PR, 365x2
BB Ext w/Chains 95x4x8
DB CSR 45x3x10
Hammer Curl/OHP 45x4x6

Needless to say i was quite happy with tonight. I hit a 20lb PR on a movement i had originally planned on doing volume work with. The 395 was my original goal after deciding to see what i could do, but it went pretty easy so i figured why leave one in the tank? The unracking was the shittiest part of this movement. If i had a spotter i could probably have added a few more pounds, doing it yourself doubles the set-up time and takes away from your form big time, but i digress....the 405 went up rather easy even with my lower back cramping (still sore from ME Squats and Weighted incline treadmill walk) so things are looking good in my training thus far. The rest is pretty much the same as last week.
This week is the last week for these movements, its been 3 weeks, now i will move on. I will move to a Full-Range Benching movement for the ME, and partial movements for the triceps work for the next mini cycle, who knows on the back and shoulders, will most likely figure those out when i get down there.
I am still planning on doing the Bench contest in Oct, so that should be fun. For that i will be using a lift off to save energy and hopefully preserve my form.
Once, i had somebody pull my finger, that was a bad idea......Keep it Dark, Keep it Heavy!!!!

09/05 ME Squat

SSB High Box Squat 115x5, 155x3, 245x3, 295x3, 345x3, 385x2, 405x2, 425x1
Speed Deadlifts 255x10x1
Pull Through 130x3x10
Ab Pulldown 100x3x15

Probably should have skipped tonight, had a massive headache that only got compounded by the SSB, which builds up enough pressure to give you a headache on its own much less starting out with one. Still it was one of those nights where you finish and your glad you didnt cheese out. I was a bit pissed as i wanted to go heavier, but with just this weight i felt as though i was going to pass out, also the reason for not doing triples. I believe that had i done triples i would have passed out, as it was i had to sit for a good minute after the final reps were done just to recover and stand up without feeling like falling over. The Speed Deads were no better for my head than the squats, i performed these with 20 second rests between. These were primarily used for form work. I really concentrated on grabbing the bar and sinking the hips (essentially pulling myself down if you will) then with one concerted effort i would reverse all the force and pull as fast and hard as i could. Seemed to work pretty good, the pop off the floor is suspect at this point, but that may be a psychological issue. Will work on that too....Pull Throughs sucked as i was ready to quit after the squats and i dont even want to talk about AB's...Fucking necessary evils i guess.....well here's to getting stronger!!!!



Oh yeah, R.I.P Steve Irwin-Done in by a fucking Sting-Ray, seriously.......

09/03 DE Bench

DE Bench w/Mini's 155x9x3
BB Ext's W/Chains 95x4x8
Rev-Grip Pull Down 130x4x8
KB Swing Comlex (side/front) 33x4x8

Nothing too exciting, felt sore as shit the next day though.....Bands beat the shit out of you.......

08/31 DE Squat

DE Box Squat w/ Avg Bands 225x8x2
Rev Hypers w/Mini's 4x8
Mini Leg Curls 4x20
Ab Wheel 4x15

Yadda yadda.....Boring

08/30 ME Bench

2 Board Press 175x5, 225x3, 245x2, 275x1, 315x1, 345x4x3
Seated BB Ext w/Chains 95x4x8
CSR DB 40x3x10
Hammer Curl/OHP 40x4x6

Alright night, was expecting to feel better doing this workout. I got kind of sluggish as i ate dinner a bit later than normal and hadnt allowed for proper time to digest. Oh Well, the 2 boards were pretty good considering the sluggish mood i got into and the rest was kind of ho-hum......Sometimes work just gets in the way of training, this morning at about 10:30 i was all psyched to lift but alas i had calls to answer......bummer!!!

08/28 ME Squat

SSB High Box Squat 115x5, 155x5, 245x5, 295x3, 335x3, 400x3x3
3" deficit Sumo DL against Mini's 225x4x4
Ab Pulldown 130x3x8
Pull Throughs 130x3x8

This SSB is a love/hate sort of thing. While i love the fact that it is strengthening my posterior, i hate doing them as they make your head feel like its gonna pop off, very similar to the first time i used a bench shirt. I set the box so it was about 1" above parallel so it was a bit higher than the low box squat variety(3 inches approx), so it was a bit easier but not much. Pretty much the spot in the squat where i am coming out of the hole and tend to lean forward a bit. So this in itself should help to remedy that issue. Next up was the DL's against Mini's, i was huffin by the end of these and reset on each set to try and work the explosion off the floor. The depth really enabled me to get a good stretch in the bottom position. The good thing is the groin didnt hurt at all, the pop from the floor seemed to be a bit better. I guess time will tell when i get a maximal load on the bar. The band tension isnt quite the same, actually a bit harder, so things look promising. The pull downs were a bit sloppy and i plan on dropping the weight a bit next time, form was a bit on the crrap side. Pull Throughs were re-introduced to my hamstrings dismay, i almost forgot about this movement, she'll be on board for the next couple of weeks.
All in all training is going pretty well, i seem to be recovering well from my meet injuries. Also since incorporation of the foam roller my lower back tightness is all but gone, not too bad for a piece of foam and PVC. I am planning on doing a Bench only meet on October 7th here in Manchester in the APF. The author of Rawpowerlift blog is scheduled to participate as well so it will be fun to compete with a fellow blogger. The sweet part is there is a Hooter's attached to the hotel so guess whats going on after? There will be no peaking cycle for this, just gonna do it for fun and gain some more experience. Should be looking to hit another meet in the November time frame either in New Hampshire or Maine. Still deciding, it looks as though i will be jumping ship to the APF from the APA, although there is an annual meet in Keene NH for the APA that i will most likely hit in February. Given my past experience i think i will pass on the Maine APA meet in Novemeber and try another federation on for size. Plus the APF seems to have alot more meets in the local area so that is a bonus.......well thats about it from here, as always, Keep it Dark, Keep it Heavy!!!

08/26 SE Bench

SE Bench Press 135x5, 185x3, 225x3, 245x3, 275x4x6
DB Tricep Ext (Paused) 35x4x12
Rev Grip Pull Down 130x4x8
Mini Delta Presses (choked on feet) 3x12

Pretty good day, went out go-karting all day and shot some mini golf before-hand. The Bench press felt pretty good, all were done slow and controlled. I was quite happy with all sets and reps. The Extensions were surprisingly painful at the end of the sets, i had planned on going heavier but the DB's were already loaded at this weight so i left them at that, had the pump going on....the rest was pretty normal stuff, got really pumped on the delta-presses as i decided to choked them off to add tension. This is the last week for this movement but i will definitely do them again in the future, the shoulder girdle gets pumped beyond belief but after the pump the shoulders feel "healthy".....good chit man.....thats about it from here, wishing you all the best in your strength achievements, ciao!!!.........

08/24 SE Squat

Free Squat 135x8, 185x5, 225x5, 275x3, 315x2, 365x1, 405x1, 425x1
Rev Hyper w/Minis 4x8 (Ugh!)
Laying Mini Leg Curls 3x20
Ab Wheel 3x15

Tonight wasnt really a traditional SE Day for me as i was pretty much messing around with my form. I think i figured out one of my big problems with this one, that being too damned slow on my descent. After watching numerous videos of Brian Siders, Kirk Karwoski, Ed Coan and a bunch of other PL'ing greats i had my epiphany. I was sooo damned worried about form and really concentrating on arching, knees out yadda yadda that i was still thinking of them on the way down and slowing myself and doing a tempo of about 4 to 1, with no gear on. Basically it was like trying to find depth with a really tight suit, but RAW......fucking dip-turd!!! Needless to say i was a bit bummed that i just had a ME Squat day this week as it would have been nice to really crank some out with this new found knowledge, but soon enough my pretty!!! I think i had an epiphany (word of the day) for the DL but i will verify this before i go blurt it out...All in all it was a good night, i changed it up a bit on the Rev Hper and rigged it up for mini's, these sum-bitches hurt like hell as there was absolutely no let up in the strength curve, my lowe back pumped up but not likeit used to (thank you foam roller!!) Then came the Leg Curls and Ab Wheel, two of the most intense movements a Powerlifter can do, the mere image of the ab wheel conjures up images of 1000lbs resting on my back, the ability to leap small buildings in a single bound, Tony Little after 1 hr on the Gazelle, Richards Simmons Sweating to the oldies!!!! Aggghhhhhh........Insanity!!!!!




Now Good Day Sir

08/23 ME Bench

2 Bd Press 185x5, 225x5, 275x3, 315x3, 335x4x3
Seated Triceps BB Ext w/Chains 95x4x8
CSR 45x4x8
Hammer Curl/OHP 45x4x8

Forgot to post this the other day so i dont have much to say except i am very sore today, after the 2 bd stuff i messed around with some full range Bench Press assisted with various band tensions. I left the bar weight at 335, lost track and didnt write any of it down, basically killed time....my Triceps were pretty sore today as well the shoulders so i guess something went right......onto the next post SE Squat which i just finished.

08/21 ME Squat.....De-Load Done

SSB Low Box Squat 115x5, 155x5, 205x3, 245x2, 295x1, 335x4,4,3,3(ugh)
Depth Pull (Conventional) w/Mini's 225x4x3
Wood Chops 30x4x12
SL KB Swing's 33x4x12

Had a bit of a deload to get my ME days back on Mon and Tues. I get too many variables on the weekend to screw up my ME days, especially with football coming up. This was the last week of SSB Low Box squat and i will bring the height up to around 1-2 inchess above parallel for 3 weeks before another deload. The first two sets of 4 were bitches as this bar makes your head feel like it is gonna pop off. I started getting sick to my stomach by the 4th set, good stuff. Cant wait to see the effect after this next mini-cycle. The Depth Pulls were bitches and i was still feeling sickly on these but gutted them out even though i hate conventional pulling, and from 3 inches depth to boot. I guess i am punishing myself for something. Will probably rotate a DL variation in two week shifts for a bit and see what happens. So far i dont feel overtrained so i will keep an eye on that, the intensity isnt too bad so that should keep it in check. Wood Chops and SL KB Swings, whoop-dee doo-doo.....Deload Done, back into it, next up on the plate is ME Bench, ahhh.....to be back in the swing of it......l8r

08/15 DE Bench

Speed Bench w/Mini's 145x4x3 155x4x3
Triceps crrrap.....
DB Rows 90x4x8
DeltaPress with Mini's 3x10

Speed bench was fun, i always like pressing against the bands. It gives you a good pump and really makes it feel like your accomplishing something on this much loathed day. Triceps i did a bunch of crap, i watched the Bench Press index to try and "get" the JM Press and basically said fuck it after Jim Wendler said "if you cant get this exercise to feel in the triceps, or you cant make this movement work for you then ditch it and find something you know works, dont waste time learning a movement for the sake of learning it" so thats what i did and ended up doing a million band pushdowns with my average bands. I tried the JM Press with the SSB as well per Paul Childress but me being a stumpy sort of fella my ROM was around 4 inches, just not worth doing.....oh well.....DB Rows are on their 2nd week and im still digging them so they'll stay for another week or two....These DeltaPresses (which im not sure but i think i may have created the name and possibly the movement, if not someone please let me know so i dont walk around with a false sense of pride, whatever) for these suckers i just choked a couple mini bands around my feet and did a side lateral raise and when i got to the top i brought it down into a super deep shoulder press. This compounded movement got a shit load of blood flowing into the shoulder girdle and made it hard for me to take off my tank top post workout to show off my muscle's to the ladies. Very effective movement that i will implement more of......thats it for that night next up will be DE Squat against Mini's......Keep It Dark, Keep It Heavy!!!

08/14 ME Squat

SSB Box Squat 115x8, 155x5, 205x3, 245x3, 295x3, 335x3x3
Rack Pull 455x3x5
Wood Chops with Mini's 3x12
KB SL Swings (outside of legs) 33x3x10

This was a most excellent workout. The SSB kicked my ass yet again, but i did feel stronger with it. It kinda hurt to do these as my neck (and Body) was still sore from thrashing around the other night at my gig. I went nuts on stage and always pay the price the following few days....fun stuff though, the gig went extremely well and my bass was sounding like the Voice of Doom!!! Anyway, this is a powerlifting blog right? So anyway, i figure to leave in the SSB for a bit longer but will vary the box height. I will go one more week with the current height, deload for a week, then bring it up above parallel and go for another 3 week phase before going back to the straight bar. I'm hoping to see the results that i read most people get with this thing which will obviously be a bigger squat but also a bigger DL. On a side note the rack pulls were all easy until the last rep of each set, then i was gassed and my lower back would get pumped like a 5 dollar hooker. All around it was a good session and lasted a mere 50 minutes, probably the reason for the lower back pump, when i move fast like this that generally tends to happen...so that about wraps it up, nobody like to hear about abs or hamstrings when it involves girly weights.....until next time, Eat Prunes and be a regular guy!!!

08/10 ME Bench

Floor Press 135x5, 185x5, 225x3, 245x2, 285x4x3
SSB Tricep Extensions 125x4x8
Pull Ups BWx6, +10lbsx3x5
Hammer Curl to Over Head Press 45x3x10

I did not feel like dong this workout tonight but had to. I have rehearsal on Friday for a Charity gig on Saturday.....good shit man.......Anyway, onto the workout. Since i went a day early i wasnt fully healed, i believe my Floor Press suffered. I had originally wanted to go up to 290 and do triples but knew damned well at 245 this wasnt going to happen, so i went with 285 and grinded those fuckers out. These still suck and i will probably hate this movement forever....The SSB's ext's were killer again and had my triceps burning, i will do these for one more week before moving on to another exercise. This was the last week for Pull-Ups, yet another exercise i really hate doing. I think i am finding a common theme here, exercises i suck at i hate.....Hmmm.....Deep.....like a mud puddle....on to the last movement, a little gem i picked up from Charles Staley, strength coach extrordinaire....the Hammer Curl to Overhead Press, slap these onto the end of your bench workout and tell me how your shoulders feel...this will stay in for the next two sessions before moving on....poretty much thats about it, my next workout will be ME Squat with the SSB.....i wont get my hopes up too much as this will be the day after my gig and i will most likely be a bit hung over....guess we'll see....thats it for now, so from my corner of the orld to yours, Keep it Dark, Keep it Heavy.......

08/09 SE Squat

SE Box Squat 135x5, 185x5, 225x3, 275x3, 315x3, 365x5x3
SSB GMs 155x3x8
Single KB Swing Throughs 33x3x15
Foam Roller....ugh

Pretty good night, got a good sweat on. As i type this my Hamstrings are killing me from the GM's, definitely a good addition to the tool box was that SSB. The squats were alright but my groin was acting up a bit, not sure why, i dont remember tweaking it at all but whatever. That foam roller is spawn of the devil i tell you. I knew i was tight through the hips and shit, but this friggin thing kills me, i sweat as much rolling around on the floor with this thing as i did actually working out...Crazy shit man.....anyway short synopsis as this work out was done a few days ago and i dont quite remember what i was thinking then.......on to the next post.....

08/07 SE Bench & Foam Roller Review

SE Bench Press 135x5, 185x3, 225x3, 245x3, 275x3, 295x4x3
4 BD Press 345x5x5
DB Row 80x3x12
KB Upright Row 63x3x10

Another decent night, shoulder is feeling a bit better. This workout was made a bit more difficult due to the lingering DOMS caused from the SSB. The foam roller helped a bit with that though, more on that later. I worked up to 295lbs (Approx 80% of Last 1RM). Reps were fast and controlled, i was actually quite happy with how the shoulder felt and feel i am on the mend. The 4 BD Press was again nice and controlled, probably should have upped the weight a bit as this was kinda light for this movement, but there again i want my shoulder to heal properly....check the ego at the door Boob!!! DB rows have been on extended Hiatus and brought a nice change up to the workout, and KB's.....ahh whatever....Onto to the Foam Roller, this sucker is just as they bill it. I only did the thing for like 15 minutes while watching TV before i worked out, but i felt incredibly loose compared to normal. My low back tightness from the previous days endeavor went away and left me feeling quite limber, like a ballerina poised for a curtsy, or a figure skater ready to perform a triple lutz.....what the fuck was that? I think somebody hijacked my keyboard for a second, i dont watch either of those sports and no i do not approve of leotards as leisure-wear......geez.....anyway, back to reality.....this sucker is pretty cool and i am glad i bought it. I had been skeptical but read on a few boards about how well they work and so far, so good....thats it for now, and to quote the great radio personality Casey Kasem "Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching up Bra's"

ME Squat-SSB is here!!

SSB Box Squat (11"Box) 115x5, 155x5, 205x3, 245x3, 295x3, 335x3x2
Rack Pull 405x3x5
Ab Pull Down 100x3x15
Mini Leg Curls 3x20

All is what i can say is holy shit, this bar sucks!!! (in a gonna-make-u-stonger sort of way) I will liken this bar to the Floor Press, i dont like it, but i know it will get me there. I felt like my head was gonna pop off from all the pressure and as i sit here and type my neck and traps are sore as hell from pushing back. I was pretty confident i would be able to go with more weight until around 245 where it started feeling like i was gonna get decapitated. My legs could have easily handled more but my lower back and upper back werent up to snuff. This bar will most definitely deliver on its claims to strengthen your arches as the weight is constantly trying to throw you forward. If you dont arch hard with this bar your gonna end up doing a GM with poor form.....On to the rest of the workout, The rack pulls could have been heavier and i will do so next week, didnt wanna overdo it as i was unsure how my body would handle the new movement of the SSB (see end of post for post workout CNS response) By the end of those i was quite tapped and finished up with some light Ab's and Leg Curls.
So, my post workout response to this new bar was i went upstairs and passed out on the couch, i literally fell asleep on the couch from exhaustion. Pretty weird stuff that i have never had happen before. I awoke to my son, who apparently just woke up from his nap, tapping me on the head asking for apple juice. Thus i rose from my slumber and fetched the young lad a drink. The End.