26 Sep Log

incline press
95 x15
135 x12
185 x10
205 x6
225 x5
275 x3
295 x1
135 x35

So I always have bicep pain when pressing, except today. The difference in form? Tucked elbows- a very hard tuck. Just a start, but still interesting to me. Goal for 135 x50 in three weeks.

poundstone curls
I use fat gripz on these
50  x85

tricep pushdowns
35 x150

pec dec flyes
50 x100

pulldowns
75 x5
105 x5
135 x5
165 x5
195 x5

24 Sep Log

So I've got my schedule pretty much down- wake up at 730, down some jack3d, relieve myself, then go to the gym from 8-9ish, come home, write log.

squats
185 x10
275 x8
365 x5
455 x3
495 x3
515 x1
545 x1
565 x1
135 x 1:45 (as many as possible within a song that was 1:45- I got somewhere around 45)

decline situps
bw x35
wow. I need work on these.

leg extensions
55 x75

Yup. Getting stronger as consistently as I can.

21 Sept Log

deficit deadlifts
5" box
135 x10
225 x8
315 x5
405 x3
455 x1, 2

good mornings
135 x3 x12

dimel deadlifts
185 x4 x15

19 Sep Log

incline bench
95 x12
135 x8
185 x5
205 x5
225 x5
245 x5
135 x3 x12

poundstone curls
65 x50

rope pushdowns
40 x100

Log 9/17

Squats
185 x8
275 x6
365 x5
405 x5
475 x5
495 x1
545 x1

front squats
135 x10
185 x8
225 x5

abs
120 x3 x25

12 September Log

pulldowns

130 x2 x10

btn snatch grip presses

45 x15

95 x12

135 x8

185 x5

ohp

205 x5

225 x3 x3

shrugs

495 x8

585 x5

675 x5

765 x4 x5

Squats and a Personal Victory

hack squats (machine)
135 x12
225 x10

squats
315 x6
405 x3
495 x1
545 x1
585 x1

leg extensions
115 x12
155 x12
215 x12

abs
150 x3 x20

So, 585 is a huge thing for me- it's overcoming a big mental barrier. The last time I hit 585 as far as I can find in my log was in March. That's basically 6 months to overcome my injury. I'm still not where I need to be, but I'm a heck of a lot closer. Hitting 585 today was big for me, and I'm ridiculously happy. I'm hoping this next training cycle will put me back over 600 with squat and dead, and we'll see if I can get 315 overhead.

Lift big, eat big, live big, sleep big.

8 Sep Log

incline press
95 x12
135 x10
185 x5
225 x5
275 x3 (butt came up last rep, otherwise surprisingly good for my long break on benching)

1-arm db ohp
100 x5, 3, 3/arm

shrugs
495 x10
585 x8
675 x3 x5

military press
135 x18

kroc rows
100 x26/arm

6 Sep Log

Squats
225 x8
315 x5
405 x5
455 x3
495 x2

BTN snatch grip push press
95 x8
135 x5
185 x3
205 x3

Hack squat machine
365 x3 x8

Rope pushdown
100 x3 x8

Machine OHP
140 x5 x5

All in all good, except my right leg is terribly messed up. Will be going to see someone about that soon.

Getting through and getting done | 31 Aug 2012 Training

Getting through, or getting done?

Okay, so maybe not the greatest title. I was lifting today though and I was warming up some overhead work and I was wondering why I was bothering with it. After all, there are going to be exactly zero gains from pushing a 45 lb bar over my head, even for hundreds of reps. It simply will not transfer over to my pressing max. 

So I slapped on some 45s and started lifting. Not a work set, but it didn't feel like a warmup. It was odd, but good. I realized that much of my warmups were simply a "get through" activity. I do them, and that's nice, but they are of minimal importance overall. I can't remember anyone especially strong discussing the utility of warm up sets, or how their warm up made them strong. Almost everyone strong concedes to the idea of a warmup, and I'm not knocking that. I'm just saying let's not conflate useful and necessary. 

I ran down a list of things I'd rather just get through in my mind. See if you can add more.

• Foam rolling and mobility work in general especially when I'm not hurting
• Warmup sets
• Chalky protein shakes
• Family reunions
• In-class worksheets
• Anytime feelings are discussed in depth
• Lines at any place

See, these are things we don't really actively do- we just get through them. Endure for the little while, then we can do the fun thing. It's a spinoff of the Pareto Principle- 20% of the work produces 80% of the results. But if you completely cut out the other 80%, you're robbing yourself of a potential 20%, and who really wants to only ever be at 80%? Plus, especially in lifting, not doing the 80% has the potential to prevent you from hitting the best 20% you can. 

Now, it may seem like I'm saying two different things, but what I'm trying to get across is that the little things don't need to be mindfully done. Sometimes they can be cut out. But you should be initially aware of what you're doing and that it has purpose. If you can't tell someone a good reason why you're doing tri-setted bosu ball dumbbell kickbacks/high pulls/ chest flyes, maybe you shouldn't be doing them. If you are doing mobility work and you've never had a problem touching your butt to your heels, maybe you can do it every other day, or three times a week. 

Getting done though, that's the stuff you want to be perfect at. Strong sets, purposeful movements, and proper recovery are all big components of getting strong. These will slowly but surely add up over time. These are things that drive the results of what you do. Do them perfectly- maybe not with perfect form, but don't neglect doing these things. 

Anyway, I finally got back in them gym after almost a month off. It was great to be back.

Overhead pressing
Strict press- 45 x10, 135 x8, 185 x8, 205 x5
Push press- 225 x3, 245 x1

Shrugs
405 x10
495 x5
585 x3
675 x3
765 x3 (would have done more sets but forgot chalk)

Cable crunches
Spud long strap
130x 3 x15
supersetted with scapular pullups
bw x3 x6

And done.