03/28/07 ME Bench

Bench Press w/Minis 135x5, 185x3, 225x2, 245x1, 275x4x3
CG 3 BD Press w/Minis (Long-Pause) 275x4x5
Super-Set
Chest Supported DB Rows 50x12,10,8
KB Front Swing 33x12,10,8
powerlifting powerlifting powerlifting powerlifting powerlifting
Wanted to go heavier but had to lift late at night due to old ladies schedule. Guess I was a little too tired, so I just threw in an extra set on the Bench Press to beat last weeks numbers.

I was simply too lazy to remove the bands and did Close Grip 3 Board Presses with a long pause. These hurt and surprisingly my good shoulder gave out before my bad shoulder, go figure...

To finish out the evening I went with the CSR and KB Super set, this killed me...thats about it for this night. I really need to pick a meet and train, so I guess thats my new goal....

Until next time, Keep it Dark, Keep it Heavy!!!

No Nonsense Nutrition DVD

03/26/07 ME Squat

SSB High Box Squat w/Chains 155x5, 205x5, 245x3, 295x2, 335x1, 385x3x3
Conventional Deadlift (Deficit?) 455x3, 475x3, 505x3
Leg Curls, Ab Pulldowns, SSB Calf Raises

Well I am one glad puppy, this cycle of Safety Squat Bar High Box Squats w/Chains is over!!! Next cycle will see Low Box Squat w/Chains, or maybe bands, havent decided. Next week will most likely be a De-Load week as I must go to Switzerland for work. Perfect Timing.....

I probably could have gotten more out on the box squats, contemplated going 4x4, but at the last second I decided I was going to pull some, so 3x3 remained. As previously stated, when doing any kind of rep-work for squats I am now using my elitefts belt, this one allows me to breath better after the first rep...So anyway, the 385 felt pretty good, and did I mention it was fast?

Onto the Deadlifts,or should I say deficit pulls...Last time Harold came over for heavy squats he brought a couple of his 45lb plates. Well needless to say we discovered that my plates are in fact 1 3/4 smaller in diameter, resulting in me basically pulling from deficits every time I pull...imagine that? Mine measure 16 inches, and from a little internet research we found comeptition plates to be 17.5 inches. Guess this should help at meet time huh?

Anyway, these deads killed me as my lower back and legs were beat from the squatting. 455 was slow as I didtn do any sort of warm-ups (Felt I was plenty warm-up from the Squats), 475 was much faster, and easier. The 505 moved much better than I figured it would. I was pretty wiped by this point and figure I would get 2 at most, but not this night....the last one was a grind, no hitching, just slow as all hell....

I really wanted to quit after the Deadlifts, but didnt want to neglect my accessory work, so I sludged my way through some Leg Curls, Alternating Ab Pulldowns to hit the obliques, and some Calf raises to try and add some size to my tiny ass calves....I was almost physically sick after this workout for some reason, it took me a good hour to recover fully....

Well that is it from my world, until next time....Where's the Beef?

No Nonsense Nutrition DVD

03/26/07 DE Squat & Bench Days....

03/23/07 DE Squat
Free Squat w/Average Bands 250x8x2
DBL Average Band GM's 2x12
Mini Band Hip Movements, dont remember sets/reps

To be honest, this workout kicked my ass, I had a hard time sitting down for two days after this...

03/25/07 SE Bench
Bench Press 135x5, 185x3, 225x3, 275x4, 285x4, 295x4, 305x4
Floor Press to Pins 285x5,4,4
Pull Ups 4x8
Chain Clean & Press 3x11

Shoulder felt pretty good today, thats about it......

No Nonsense Nutrition DVD

03/21/07 ME Bench

Bench Press w/Mini's 135x5, 185x5, 225x3, 245x3, 275x3x3
3 Board Press 365x4x3
Chest Supported DB Rows 40x3x12
KB Front Swings 33x3x10

Bench Press w/Mini's, ugh....I beat the reps per set, and overall volume from last time so I guess I cant complain. Just messes with your head when you se a bar weight of 275 and it feels heavy. Anyway, the shoulder felt pretty good, I guess since its not hurting every time out now something must be working. Anyway, the weight at the top felt about the same as 365 so I am guessing that is the tension up there, at the bottom its probably around 320-330, I just know the weight leaves the chest pretty quick but the brakes get clamped down at the top. After the first set my triceps are pumped to the gills, so you better have your tickets!!! The gun show has come to town!!! (I am an Idiot)

3 Board Presses are grueling after the first movement where the triceps get a beat-down, but I figure its gonna develop some good lockout strength for sure. 365 is arond 85% of my last known 1RM so I would venture a guess and say my 3 board max has gone up, maybe next cycle I will throw them in to test the waters. But who really cares as long as my RAW and shirted bench go up right?

Chest supported rows will get weight added, I was simply being too lazy to add weight and decided to hit some reps. Man, my endurance sucks!!! Then the KB swings reminded me of my injury as my left shoulder was burnin with pain by the end of them. So what did I do? Hammer the snot out if more, this sucker is either gonna break or get better. Symptoms sound like that of a torn labrum in which case there aint a damn thing I could do anyway but get surgery, and I hate doctors!!!

Thats it from tinsel town, (yeah tinsel, like the kind that hangs out of your dogs butt at xmas time) What is wrong with me?

Keep it Dark, Keep it Heavy!!!

No Nonsense Nutrition DVD

03/19/07 ME Squat

SSB High Box Squats w/Chains 155x5, 205x5, 245x3, 305x3, 335x3, 385x4x2
Block Pulls(2" below knee caps) 315x1, 405x1, 505x3x3, 455x3
Ab Pulldown 110x3x10
Mini Band Leg Curl 3x20
SSB Calf Raises 205x3x12

Whoa, this shit is brutal. Safety Squat Bar w/Chains is a nut-buster. I didnt beat the prior top set poundage but beat my previous attempt in volume by around 1000lbs. So my lower back was good and pumped going into block pulls.

The first two sets were done with my lever belt on, which I discovered keeps me from breathing when doing any sort of rep work. So I swapped to my Elite belt and had no problems with near black-out situations there-after. Again, the weight at the top is arond 455 and at the bottom around 425 if I had to guess....

Block Pulls are essentially rack pulls off of some blocks I made that put the bar a bit lower than my rack will accomodate, also saves the pins. These were hard as hell after the Squats, my lower back was fried,and guess what? This movement is pretty much all lower back....ugh, well to coin a phrase from my 5 year old son, "you'll get what you get and you wont get upset".

The rest was a big yawn, I was too wiped to care and almost threw in the towel after Deads.....Next up on the plate, ME Bench....so until next time.....


Keep it Dark, Keep it Heavy!!!



No Nonsense Nutrition DVD

03/17/07 DE Bench

2 Board DE Bench 205x3, 215x3, 225x3
Pin Press (Lying on Floor) 275x5, 285x4, 295x4
Pull Ups 3x8
Clean & Press (D-Handles w/Chains) 3x10

Well, I cant be sure but I would have to say my shoulder does not like DE day. It hurt pretty bad today after the first couple sets. Will have to think about what to do with this, I have pretty good speed and wonder if I may benefit from leaving DE out for awhile and subsitute it with overhead work. As preciously stated since adding overhead stuff my shoudler feels much better....something to think about I guess.

The Pin Press while lying on the floor is pretty much a floor press from pins. These proved harder than I thought they would be, but definitely had the triceps screaming. Two more weeks of these then on to something else.

Pulls Ups...yawn.....

Cleans w/chains.....these friggin hurt. My shoulders were burning afterward. Most likely from the unbalanced load the chains provided. For this movement I took my D-Handles and attached my chains to them and did clean and presses. i will leave these in for 2 more weeks, as painful as these were they were still fun to do, something different....

Anyway, thats it for that day, next up is ME Squat.....Yee-Ha!!!!

No Nonsense Nutrition DVD

03/15/07 ME Squat (Gear) - No PR's for me...

RAW 135x5, 185x5, 225x3, 275x2, 315x1, 405x1
Suit, Straps Down 455x1, 525x1
Suit (Straps Up) w/Knee Wraps 605xMiss, 605xMiss, 575xMiss
SLDL 375x3x5
Ab Pulldowns 120x3x12

Well I was psyched up all day for this, but my apparently training mind and body missed the memo!!! I believe I had myself talked out of this on Monday, I was sore from the SE Deadlifts, and not previously training the Deadlift with more than 2 reps with a weight over 80% killed me. So needless to say I wasnt as fresh as I needed to be. So here's the rundown baby....

1st 605 Attempt - I forgot to put the collar on the left side, hit the rack on walk out and made the mistake of carrying on, in retrospect I should have re-racked the weight, and hit it next time around. But being the jive turkey I can be, I didnt listen to myself and continued on. I took the weight down fine, started back up but the weight started sliding off the left side, Enter the Dump!!!

Luckily, From training alone so long I have sort of mastered this method, lean forward, throw your ass up and let it hit the pins.....Damn I was pissed at myself.
I should have stopped here.

2nd 605 Attempt - This attempt never should have taken place, I was mentally beat, which I dont normally let happen but some how allowed it this time. My head just wasnt in the game, a sign of overtraining? Possibly...Again took this sucker into the hole, started back up and my mind was anywhere but under the bar. I am truly amazed by how many thoughts can race through a persons head in only 1-2 seconds...needless to say not one of these thoughts was on holding my arch and trying to stand up, so I dumped it....Son-A-Ma-Beach!!!

Well, being the stubborn bass-turd that I am, I wanted to try and PR this friggin movement, I hit 550 around a month ago with plenty in the tank, hence my attempts of 605. You would have thought I would have learned by this point nothing good was coming out of this night. But no, So I took 575 for a ride, hit the hole hard, popped out, and on the ascent I started thinking about other shit and lost it again.....Damn it!!!

Anyway, I have quite a few take home points and a laundry list of what went wrong this night, and here they are:

1. I should have waited a week to do this, Still beat from SE DL for some friggin reason.

2. Dont Squat heavy if you arent into it, I should have changed to an SE Gear Night upon realization that my head was not in the gym this day.

3. Get a better suit!!! This piece-o-crap Inzer Champion is too big for me, I have a short torso so the suit never really "loads" in the hole. I need one with adjustable shoulder straps to accomodate this malady.

4. If something seems wrong upon unracking the weight, just put the shit back on the pins and sort it out, this kind of goes with the mental issue, I should have known better but.....

5. Dont let one bad workout deter you from your end goal, I learned alot from this debacle and this alone will only make me stronger. I know my body is strong enough for this weight, but on this night my mind just wasnt...

6. Choose a better approach to 605, this would have avoided the whole thing if I would have taken this route: 500, 550, 575, 605....I simply went at 605 unprepared....Like Icarus, I flew too close to the Sun!!!

Anyway, thats my dissection of this workout, not gonna comment on the accessory crap as we were pretty wiped by this point and just wanted to end this session. I am sure there are other points I am missing. But at the end of the day I am still happy with a couple of things and here they are:

1. A PR of sorts with the 525 straps-down-no-wraps.

2. Confidence that 605 on my back, and in the hole didnt feel bad, the misses were psychological in nature and not lack of strength.

3. Finally have a method for putting on my knee wraps the same way each time, very important!!!

4. Re-Remembered that I need a faster descent...

5. Didnt get injured with heavy weights even with the mindset I had...

6. I have lived to fight another day, 605 will fall the next time, and then some. You dont really know what your made of until you fail, what will define me is what happens next. Quit and run because of one crappy workout, or run with it and smoke this shit next time its on my back?

On a good note, Harold got 425 with his straps down, looked picture perfect too!!! He had issues when the straps went up, his suit is still new and with a few more sessions in it he will smoke upwards of 450-500...Great Job Harold!!!


Keep it Dark, Keep it Heavy, and Keep Your Head in the Game!!!

No Nonsense Nutrition DVD

03/12/07 ME Bench

Bench Press w/Mini's 135x5, 185x5, 225x3, 245x3, 275x4x2
3 Board Bench Press (CG) 365x 4x4
Chain Suspended Overhead Press 205x3x5
Ano Rows 130x4x8

This proved to be quite a workout, my shoulder held up nicely though. I backed off of DE Bench day last week and am toying with the idea of cycling SE Shoulder Pressing 3 weeks, then DE Bench for 3 weeks, Since I threw in Shoulder pressinfg a few weeks ago my shoulder has gotten considerably better. Thats what this whole thing is about anyway right? Experiment and keep what works, get rid of that which does not....Give it time I guess....

Soooo....Bench Press with Mini Bands proved harder than I anticipated. I had visions of 315 for 3 sets of 3, then reality set in. These things sucked!!! I couldnt even muster 275 for 3 sets of 3, so I adapted and ovecame with the Doubles. Not quite sure how much tension was provided by the mini's but it was more than I originally figured. Guess-ti-mating I would say there was 30 at the bottom and 80-90 at the top, possibly more. I dont really have a good way of figuring this out, so I will just worry about the bar weight for now.

The set up had tension throughout the movement as I had them doubled over the bar, no chokes. This doubled the tension and worked the movement from start to finish. Got two more weeks of this one, am curious to see where I will end up...

The Close Grip 3 board proved hard as well, my triceps were burning from trying to out-run the bands on the previous movement. These pauses absolutely killed me and had twinges starting in the shoulder, so I cut it short, originally planned on 4x5 on this movement. Will move on to 2 Board Close Grip next week...cant wait!!

Last week for the Chain Suspended Overhead Press, was glad I got 3x5 on this after lasts weeks stark realization that these things suck to do after some heavy pressing, but that which doesnt kill you only makes you stronger right?

I suspect part of my shoulder issues may be a muscle imbalance as I have neglected overhead pressing for quite some time. Ironically Mike Johnston just wrote an article this past week about a very similar issue he was having, great minds think alike right?

Scheduled to be the last week for what I have dubbed the Ano Row after Ano Turtianen, its really just a bent over row from a low pulley type source, he actually used a reverse hyper, I used a low pulley...same diff right? May keep them around for one more week as it is only an accessory movement and I really dig it...

Thats it for now, be sure to tune in next time for the results of Mine and Harolds Full Gear, ME Squat night....a night of PR's and skidmarks for sure!!!!



Keep it Dark, Keep it Heavy!!!




No Nonsense Nutrition DVD

03/11/07 SE Deadlift

DeadLift 135x5, 225x5, 275x3, 315x2, 365x2, 405x4x4
SSB GM's into Pins 245x4x4
Giant Set
Mini Leg Curls 5x12
Crunches 5x12
SSB Calf Raise 5x12

Tonight was supposed to be DE Squat, but, Harold is coming over on Weds for heavy geared squats so I opted for SE Deads. I went with 70% of my 1RM for this movement and worked it to Prilipens chart, 16 total reps put me right in the middle of the gravy zone. Each Rep had total resets to ensure no momentum was being used, and I was keeping a close eye on the form. All went well and today I am a bit sore, but such is life.

Followed up the Deads with some Safety Squat Bar Good Mornings into pins, the stop at the bottom really adds to the difficulty of the movement. Lower back was fried pretty good after these....

The Giant set closed out the night, I performed these "sets" with no rest between, so needles to say I was pretty winded by the end of it all. Actually felt like puking a little bit, thats got to be good for you right?

Well, that's all for SE Day. You may have noticed that I didnt post a DE Bench day. I have a plan up my sleeve at the moment to try and get this friggin shoulder fixed or at least a little less aggravated....stay tuned!!!





No Nonsense Nutrition DVD

03/07/07 ME Squat

SSB High Box w/Chains 155x5, 205x3, 245x3, 295x2, 335x1, 355x3, 405x2 Fuck Me!!!
SLDL 315x5, 365x5, 365x5
Ab Pulldowns 120x3x8
SSB Calf Raises 300x3x8

This must have been the most retarded workout I have had in awhile. I had to lift late due to the old ladies schedule, so I tried to squeeze it in between the two shows I watch on Weds night, "Jericho" and "Lost". I have one hour to get my shit done then back upstairs to find out whats going on with that kooky island.

Needless to say my mindset was not where it should have been and I hurried myself.

Have you ever driven somewhere and after you have arrived, you sat and wondered how you got there? No recollection of the drive in between? Thats how I was, by the time I got to ab pulldowns I was experiencing this very same phenomena....

I do remember that Safety Squat Bar High Box Squats w/Chains are friggin brutal. Its bad enough you got the weight itself trying to shoot you forward, but now I had the chains set out in front of the load trying to bring me down. Talk about killing your arch? So anyway, I think in my haste I got a bit too lofty in my weight picking.

After reviewing my previous shot at High BOx SSB I hit a 455PR, this set up I had tonight was around 475 at the top and not a hell of a lot of deload at the bottom due to the shape of the bar. My original plan of tripling this weight got squashed on the 2nd rep where I almost passed out re-racking it...There's always next time....

Straight Leg Deadlifts hit my hamstrings/lower back hard. My body is still sore from the heavy moving this past weekend so I'm sure that didnt help. But regardless, I have never gone this heavy on this movement before, I usually keep the weight around 275-315, guess those days are over now I set the bar higher right?

The Abs and Calves werent anything special and pretty much thrown in for filler, I was beat after doing this and couldnt understand why, then I looked at the clock, this workout took me 35 minutes from beginning to end. I was cranking so hard to get it over with I totally screwed my rest periods...oh well, at least I had time to relax before my silly ass watched Lost....how gay am I?

Keep It Dark, Keep It Heavy!!!!

No Nonsense Nutrition DVD

03/06/07 ME Bench - And A Story

Band Assisted Bench Press 135x5, 185x5, 225x5, 275x3, 315x3, 340x3, 370x3x3
3 BD CG BP 320x4x4
Chain Suspended Overhead Press 205x3x3
Ano Rows 110x10, 120x10, 130x2x8

Threw in a bit more volume on the assisted bench press. Again, this set-up allows for no help at the top and around 30 lbs at the bottom. Quite brutal to be honest. This was follow up by 3 Board Close Grip Bench Press for the same weight/reps as last week. My shoulder was was a bit twingy from helping a buddy out again (and hopefully the last time) moving.

Highlight of the weekend was I carried the ass-end of a 1930's piano around 2 trips of 500 feet, including stairs, it took three guys on the other end. Man I looked so cool....yeah right. That little feat made my hips hurt a bit. Then to keep in line with this strongman training, this dudes nimrod wife packed around 1000 childrens books into two boxes (estimated weight of around 100lbs each) these became atlas stones and man did those friggin jaunts hit my hamstrings, I actually ripped the pants I was wearing right down the middle when I set the first box down....Needless to say on sunday my forearms were actually sore from all the gripping and shit, these people are pack rats like I've never seen, which meant a great workout, but a long day. I killed around 24 beers this day, may they rest in peace....So after all the heavy stuff I got stuck moving, my CNS is in a fry-daddy state, so I am treading lightly....

Back to the workout, by the time I got to the overhead presses my shoulders and triceps were shot, which explains why I could only muster the miserable 3x3 on this weight, hell last week I took 225 for 5 on this movement, of course not after ME Bench...

Next up were the Ano Rows I got off elitefts workout logs. Ano Turtianen was doing these in one of his posts, so I did them last week and this week. These suckers hit the upper back pretty good, I use an angled lat bar so you can get a really good extensions at the back.

Thats it for now, next up is ME Squat, I did something funky to my quad last week, it appears to be gone so cross your fingers.......until next time....

Kiss My Grits!!!!

No Nonsense Nutrition DVD

02/28/07 ME Bench

Band Assisted Bench Press 225x5, 275x5, 315x5, 335x3, 370x4x2
CG 3 BD BP (Hella-Pause) 315x4x4
Olympic Grip Upright Rows 140x4x8
Mini Band Work (Face Pulls, Flyes, Pullovers, etc...)

As stated before, out of uncertainty innovation is born. Having never been able to figrue out a way to get bands set up the same way twice, I devised a set-up the gods would be proud of. I put the SSB over the top of my squat rack, essentially having pins in the upper position, then put the average bands on there and voila, I now have around 30 lbs off the bottom and no tension at the top, sweet deal!!!

I had to experiment a bit to find the optimal training load, but I think I managed it, next week we'll keep the poundage the same and up the volume to triples....should be interesting. All reps done with a complete pause at the bottom, making this quite brutal on the old shoulder, but I am sick of that fucking thing so I am just gonna truck on through and deal with it.....

The 3 Board Close Grip was done in the same fashion as last week, complete 2-3 second pause on the boards after the sink, then press. Again, this makes the movement about 20 times harder at that poundage....should show some benefit in the lockout department, my next wave I will add a board and do the same......

The rest was filler crap, I will most likely start back up with the EDT crap next week, I am in a carb depleted state as I want to lean out a bit and get back around to 210, no power-belly!!! This will be quite simple as I have just stopped with the McDonalds powerbulk, and kept the diet clean with super high protein intake....the rest takes care of itself. After this trim down it will be back on the Precision Nutrition program.

Thats about it from here, until next time......Eat Wheaties!!!



No Nonsense Nutrition DVD