#drizzt

[drizzt]

14.02.11 - Chest, Tris

94.5 (without shoes), within 1.5kg I'll take that for now.

• Bench (sets, reps, weights)
  bar warmups
  1 x 10 @ 60kg
  1 x 5 @ 80kg
  1 x 2 @ 100kg
  1 x 3 @ 120kg
  1 x 8 @ 80kg
  1 x 10 @ 60kg
  
• Dips
  1 x 10 @ +20kg
  1 x 4 @ +40kg drop set 1 x 3 @ +20kg
  1 x 10 @ bw
  
• Incline DB Press
  1 x 5 @ 85lb
  1 x 8 @ 70lb
  1 x 10 @ 55lb
  
• Standing OH DB Tri Press
  1 x 5 @ 85lb/8 @ 70lb/7 @ 65lb/5 @ 55lb
  
• GHR
  2 x 10 @ bw
  1 x 12 @ bw
  
• Landmines
  2 x 10/ps @ close grip
  1 x 10/ps @ wide grip
  

Comments

• Bench was good, spotter showed his worth as I would've pulled out at 2 reps @ 120 if I was flying solo, instead went for the 3rd and got it with a little bit of grind. The extra confidence in my lifts with a spotter there is worth it alone.
  
• Dips were ok, would've got more than 4 reps @ 40kg but the chains that were around my neck started to slip upwards leaning me right forward - almost to the point I was tipping over! Strength was good for maybe 1-2 more reps, so was a pity I didn't get them, will look at doing a weight belt instead of chains for the next session.
  
• DB incline was fine, weights were perfect, bang on failure pretty much.
  
• OH Tri press cocked up a little, as intended to go one set of 85x5,70x8,55x10, but my mate directed me towards the 65lb db instead of a 55 when I was setting them up. More my fault though as I wasn't thinking. So got it up and was wondering why the hell it was so tough, until I clicked when I put the weight down and saw the number :oops: Still, 7 reps was more than I would've expected, and grabbed the 55 to go to failure straight afterwards anyway so probably worked out better!
  
• GHR was good, all sets were PBs, 12 is the new target, might have to start adding weight soon or slowing down reps or something. Hams were smooooked at the end of it. Come a long way from cramping after 3reps a few weeks back! :pfft:
  

TP signed up at the House today so definitely have a training partner for a few sessions per week.

Rejigged the program a little to put max squats a bit further away from deads, as the back was pretty sore today. So ME squats tomorrow, gives me a good few days to recover and hit deads on Saturday. Did some stretching after the session today, so I'll roll into some Agile 8 a little later on tonight and maybe sleep in the skins again.

[drizzt]

15.02.11 - Squats, Back, Bis

• Squats (ME) (sets, reps, weights)
  Warmups
  1 x 10 @ 60kg
  1 x 8 @ 100kg
  1 x 5 @ 140kg
  1 x 3 @ 150kg (+belt)
  1 x 2 @ 160kg (+belt)
  1 x 8 @ 120kg
  1 x 10 @ 100kg
  
• Rack Pulls (below the knees)
  1 x 10 @ 100kg
  1 x 8 @ 140kg
  1 x 10 @ 140kg
  
• DB Rows
  1 x 5 @ 100lb
  1 x 8 @ 85lb
  1 x 10 @ 70lb
  
• Chins
  1 x 4(+1assist) @ +20kg
  1 x 5 @ +10kg
  1 x 7(+1assist) @ bw
  
• Preacher Curls
  1 x 4(+1assist) @ 20kg/ps
  1 x 8 @ 12.5kg/ps
  1 x 20 @ 10kg/ps
  
• GMs
  4 x 10 @ 40kg
  

Comments

• Squats were ok, but the back still had some pretty bad DOMS from the weekend which made it a tad tough. Belted up (loosely) for the top two sets, intended 3 reps @ 160 but the back wasn't having a bar of it so after a little bit of a grind on the 2nd rep I racked it. The reps felt low enough, the TP said they were but I'm not sure he knew completely how low parallel was so explained it later on Worryingly, the 2nd rep at 160 I got stuck in the same sorta place I was sticking at 185 on my test day. Think for a core movement at least once a week I may need to throw heavy GMs in to possibly help this. Sets on the way down felt good, maybe I'm just not doing enough of a leadup to the top set.
  Good that I got a couple of reps at 160, I will try for a couple at 170 next week and see how that goes, maybe give me a better indication of what I should go for come comp time.
  
• Rack pulls were tough as, what an idiot idea to put them on the same day as ME squats while the back is still recovering :pfft: Think I'll permanently swap these out for T-bar rows or something from now. Reps were still really fast but the back was feeling it a lot.
  
• DB Rows were ok, but I worry that I'm starting to let a bit of body english creep in... almost turning into a sorta kroc row? So may start strapping up if I'm gonna continue to go heavy to better target the lats - I find when I loosely grip the DB, the lats get a lot more attention as the arm isn't tensed and taking the weight :shrug:
  
• Chins were tough, forgot to do these at the start of the program :doh: Forgot my training log and got carried away thinking about squats + rack pulls. First 4 reps were ok, pretty full rom although potentially not as low down as I'd usually drop (usually all the way), partner gave a very small bit of assist to finish the last rep.
  
• Preachers were bastards, fuggin hate this exercise! :pfft: Same weight last week I got for 2x top sets of 5 I think without too much issue, this week I couldn't even get 5. Potentially because I had JUST done chins, but still, harder than I expected. Managed to rep out 20 @ 10/ps though which was an unexpected amount.
  
• GMs were ok, did them light just to stretch the back out. Started with safety bar but felt a bit awkward so switched to standard for the last 3 sets.
  

So yeah, tough day at the office! Missus thankfully gave me a nice, HARD massage when I got home (boney hands! :pfft:) which has softened a few of the knots up, so feeling a bit better now.

[Optimass]

Wicked workout K! :clap:

Thanks!

Diet so far:

• [*]10am - (pre workout) 10g BCAA, 5g Creatine, 2x scoops The Curse,

You still on your Xmas allotment?

[drizzt]

Diet today:

• 1pm - Banana, creatine, tea
  
• 3pm - Foot long sub (lettuce, onion, tomato, cucumber, roast chicken, wheat bread, sweet thai chilli), 30g protein shake + milo, 300ml full milk
  
• 4.30pm - (pre-workout) 1c oats in water, 1/2 tin fruit salad, 10g BCAA
  
• 8pm - (post-workout) 200g (cooked) kumara chips, 300g (cooked) chicken breast, 500g (uncooked) rump steak, 200g (uncooked) pork medallions
  
• 9pm - 30g Casein + 300ml milk

Bit light today, things were a bit mucked up as had to wait longer than usual for workout due to TP finishing work late.

[drizzt]

You still on your Xmas allotment?

Yeah mate, have 3-4 tubs of Jack3d too so I've got plenty of pre-workout to go around Have only been having it once a week, sometimes only once a fortnight these days, so it was only my 3rd go at The Curse.

[HarryB]

shifting some good numbers man!

[drizzt]

Cheers mate, but was disappointed with that session, although was nice to get under the bar with some decent weight on it again (for me anyway!)

The back wasn't at 100% but no excuse, will need to work out smarter in the leadup to the comp I reckon :nod:

[PeterDolan]

Any idea why the DOMS in your back lingers for so long?

[drizzt]

Hey PD, fair idea - I put a lot into my deadlifts. Particularly in the heavier sets when the technique gets lazy and the back starts to round - my mid back takes a lot of strain. I feel like this is better than the lower back taking it, but the DOMS are chronic in - I think - the erectors(?) for the next half a week :pfft:

Don't think it's unusual, but maybe it's just the way I deadlift. Definitely not an "injury" type of soreness though, so I'm ok with just putting up with it however I can for the workouts that it does effect. I've found with time as my deadlift has improved, it takes a heavier weight to round the back, and the DOMS are less present. Not too long ago 200 for 1 or 2 reps would've rounded it easy, on Saturday it didn't start to round until the 4th. So it is improving with my strength which is good :nod:

Simple answer is I probably need more heavy deadlifting to get used to it, as I don't do it enough these days :grin:

[PeterDolan]

Hey PD, fair idea - I put a lot into my deadlifts. Particularly in the heavier sets when the technique gets lazy and the back starts to round - my mid back takes a lot of strain. I feel like this is better than the lower back taking it, but the DOMS are chronic in - I think - the erectors(?) for the next half a week :pfft:

Don't think it's unusual, but maybe it's just the way I deadlift. Definitely not an "injury" type of soreness though, so I'm ok with just putting up with it however I can for the workouts that it does effect. I've found with time as my deadlift has improved, it takes a heavier weight to round the back, and the DOMS are less present. Not too long ago 200 for 1 or 2 reps would've rounded it easy, on Saturday it didn't start to round until the 4th. So it is improving with my strength which is good :nod:

Simple answer is I probably need more heavy deadlifting to get used to it, as I don't do it enough these days :grin:

You SMR on a foam roller right? Maybe you need to do that to get the blood flowing in there? I used to get DOMS in my erectors for days on end but it just doesn't happen anymore even though I train heavier, and on occasion with more volume, so may be there is something to your "more heavy deadlifting" theory

[drizzt]

You SMR on a foam roller right? Maybe you need to do that to get the blood flowing in there? I used to get DOMS in my erectors for days on end but it just doesn't happen anymore even though I train heavier, and on occasion with more volume, so may be there is something to your "more heavy deadlifting" theory

Myofascial Release? Yeah good idea actually, will start throwing it into the Agile 8 and see how that goes - as I can see a lot of heavy deadlifting coming up :nod: I foam rolled it a little on Sunday and the pain was horrendous, didn't seem to help too much with Monday's DOMS but maybe I should just be doing it more regularly.

Cheers man.

[PeterDolan]

That's the one

Yeah I can see how it hurts, maybe get who ever you can (Warren might be up for it :pfft: ) To roll it up your back instead of you lying on it, less pressure that way. I know that sometimes the DOMS can be so bad that even walking for the proceeding days can be uncomfortable as a mtherfucker

[drizzt]

Haha yeah, more the picking stuff up off the floor that gets me, feel like an old man :pale:

Good ideas though man, have a foam roller at home so will get the Mrs to do it. She did give me a pretty rough massage the other night though which actually helped a lot. She doesn't weigh much but has wicked boney hands so was a nice targeted release I reckon :grin:

[PeterDolan]

Play around with it, if it helps then you'll be laughing ya way to a bigger squat. How's the core strength coming along?

[drizzt]

Yeah that's the plan! Core strength is coming along really well. Started out and things were a bit pathetic :pfft: But have noticed the waist has solidified a bit more than usual, and oblique strength in particular is up (russian twists + landmines). Unfortunately with all of the hip mobility + core work I've been doing, I haven't noticed a huge carry-over to the squat. Still, early days yet.

Do think I need to add heavy GMs in somewhere though, but that'll be after the comp.

[PeterDolan]

Are you more stable under the weight though?

[drizzt]

Kind of - I've directed my eyes a bit further upward during reps which I think has helped with making the back more upright during the movement, and I think core strength has contributed here too, but I'm still a bit wobbly in the hole which is where I was mainly hoping the core strength would help.

This has a lot to do with me releasing the breath in the hole that I need to make it stable so it's a bit of a technique/discipline issue I need to work on, but I think that also ties back to having the core stability to be able to do it as well.

Still, though, I think more heavy squats could be an answer here too :pfft: In Sheiko, the weight was always moderately heavy, but never really near my max. I think if I can throw in more heavy sets consistently it will help the specific part I'm failing at :nod: Which is the plan following the comp.

[HarryB]

Maybe some deficit deads might help as well because you will have to learn to stabilize yourself from an even lower position? Either off a small platform or do them with 10k plates on the bar. You don't need to do these heavy at all just get used to pulling from that lower position. Strengthens everything so that you can keep your body more erect even form the bottom position.

I do these sometimes and I do lots of rack deadlifts, that way when I am squatting or regular deadlifting I don't have issues of stability through my lower and middle back.

[drizzt]

Good idea thanks Harry. I've been thinking of doing Rack pulls consistently (only do them once in a while currently) as an alternate dead/back kinda movement, but deficits sound interesting :think:

Will check em out following the comp, or maybe this Saturday at a light weight following heavy deads :nod: Cheers!

[drizzt]

17.02.11 - Quads, Calves

• Front Squats (sets, reps, weights)
  1 x 10 @ 60kg
  1 x 8 @ 80kg
  1 x 5 @ 95kg
  
• Reverse Sled Drags superset with Leg Extensions
  2 x 4 lengths @ 90kg sled & 2 x 10 @ 80kg
  1 x 2 lengths @ 90kg/2 lengths @ 100kg & 1 x 10 @ 80kg
  
• DE Bench
  Warmups
  1 x 10 @ bar + chains (17.5kg @ top)
  1 x 10 @ 40kg + chains
  2 x 10 @ 50kg + chains
  
• Standing Calf Raises
  3 x 20 @ 70kg
  
• DB Side Bends
  3 x 6/ps @ 90lb
  

Comments

• Front squats felt good, probably could've gone heavier but wanted to keep some energy in the tank for what was to come...
  
• ... because the superset was brutal. After the first set I had trouble walking, following the 3rd set was the biggest pump I've ever felt in my quads :shock: Balance was hard to come by for the next wee while, actually affected bench set up too :pfft: Awesome superset!
  
• First time trying chains on a lift, cool experience. Little rest between sets, could feel how it would help :nod: Looking to keep these on for DE bench days from now.
  
• Calf raises were a you go-I go type of setup, so no real rest between sets.
  
• DB side bends were heavy, good.
  

Took a little longer than anticipated (effect of having a TP I guess) but still snuck in a couple of hours at the beach. Was an AWESOME day out there, fingers crossed for the same tomorrow.

Will weigh myself on Sat and if it's above 95 I may look at dropping creatine until after the comp. Have been drinking water like I've been in a desert for the past week or so.

[drizzt]

19.02.11 - Deads + Shoulders

95.5 today (without shoes!), will be dropping creatine, had my last serve this morning.

• Deads (sets, reps, weights)
  1 x 10 @ 70kg
  1 x 3 @ 120kg
  1 x 3 @ 180kg
  1 x 1 @ 210kg
  1 x 2 @ 230kg (+belt)
  1 x 3(+1) @ 210kg (+better belt!)
  1 x ? @ 110kg
  
• Push Press
  1 x 6 @ 60kg
  1 x 3 @ 85kg
  1 x 2 @ 95kg
  1 x 3 @ 100kg
  1 x 1 @ 110kg =PB
  1 x 25 @ 60kg
  
• Rear Delt Raise
  4 x 10 @ 10lb
  
• Squats (light)
  4 x 10 @ 100kg
  
• Russian Twists
  3 x 10/ps @ 10kg plate PB
  
• Side Lateral Raise
  4 x 10 @ 20lb
  

Comments

• Deads were ok, I was actually feeling fantastic before the session but it didn't really carry over to the deads. Was expecting 3 @ 230 but the 2nd rep was a real grinder so knew it wasn't there. Belt was a wee bit too loose so not sure if it did much (my own fault for forgetting my belt! :doh:).. When I dropped down to 210 (and borrowed a much better belt) I got 3 consecutively, short break (maybe 5-10seconds?) then knocked out 1 more. Hook gripped everything but the top set @ 230 (and the extra single at 210) and it felt really comfortable, almost comfortable enough to use on all sets now possibly. No pain.
  All in all these were better last week, they didn't feel so good today. But hey these are the workouts where the gains come I reckon, when you're not feeling up to it but move some heavy weight anyway :shrug:
  
• Push press was ok, 110 was an = PB so was hoping for 2 reps but couldn't get the second. Was cool to get 25 reps @ 60 though.
  
• Squats were tough, after watching AprillaRS go at it (who got 150 x 15 :shock:) I thought I'd try move my stance in a bit - as that was how I started before trying Sheiko - and it actually felt a bit better, definitely felt emphasis shift to the quads. Might experiment with a closer stance on Tuesday's ME squats. I feel this could be better long term for me, as I'm probably quad dominant.
  
• Nothing much else to say, Russian twists were a PB (and tough), threw in side lateral raises instead of GPP as I was drained from Deads.
  

Ok session.

TP improved out of sight from last week - he struggled for 5 reps @ 125 deads last week, nailed 3 @ 150 this week. Push press he got 60 x 5 for a top set last week, this week 80 x 3 :clap:

[drizzt]

Diet:

• 10.30am (pre-workout) 7g Creatine in Tea (splash of milk), 10g BCAA, 2 scoops The Curse
  
• 12.30-1.30pm (post workout) 50g protein, 10g BCAA, banana, 500ml powerade, Nandos (chicken + avo + egg + pineapple + cheese burger, large chips), coffee
  To come...
  
• Steak, greens, casein, maybe a couple glasses of red wine, another couple pieces of fruit (oranges, plums)

Actually haven't been terribly hungry today, just worn down a bit. Forced the Nandos down, didn't feel like much of a treat! Ah well maybe a nap will sort me.

[ApriliaRS]

Nice job on the push press PB, looked pretty comfortable too - 120 should fall pretty soon. Interesting what you say about bringing your squat stance in; when I first starter squatting I squatted super wide (watched too many Westside videos :oops: ) but quickly moved to a close stance. I've always had fairly strong quads so it felt good, but often got told that a wider stance would be better in the long run so this training block has really been about bringing up my hammies etc - and it seems to be working, now stronger with a slightly wider stance (still fairly narrow though). No idea what i'm trying to say now... I guess just that there's a happy medium, too narrow and you just can't generate any power from you're glutes and hamstrings, but too wide (especially when you've got strong quads) and you're going to have a heap of issues (stable but no power, huge strain on hips, etc).

Ever tried squatting in oly shoes?

[drizzt]

Nice job on the push press PB, looked pretty comfortable too - 120 should fall pretty soon. Interesting what you say about bringing your squat stance in; when I first starter squatting I squatted super wide (watched too many Westside videos :oops: ) but quickly moved to a close stance. I've always had fairly strong quads so it felt good, but often got told that a wider stance would be better in the long run so this training block has really been about bringing up my hammies etc - and it seems to be working, now stronger with a slightly wider stance (still fairly narrow though). No idea what i'm trying to say now... I guess just that there's a happy medium, too narrow and you just can't generate any power from you're glutes and hamstrings, but too wide (especially when you've got strong quads) and you're going to have a heap of issues (stable but no power, huge strain on hips, etc).

Ever tried squatting in oly shoes?

Cheers man, the first rep of 110 on Push press felt really good, was sure I had a second... and then it didn't move :pfft: Maybe next week I'll shoot for 112.5 or 115.

Haha interesting you point that out (the long term thing) because as soon as I re-read that I kinda thought "well, long term more power would surely come from the hams+glutes!", so maybe I'll be looking at immediate-to-mid term. I think I jumped from a narrow stance to a pretty wide stance too soon. But good advice though, I think for now I'm just going to go with what is comfortable (which is narrower than what I've been doing for the past couple months), and keep trying to bring the hams up like you've done. I definitely started out with very little hams (more activation of them in my case I think), but I reckon that's improved slightly.

As for Oly shoes, nah I've only ever done chucks/bare feet. Reckon they're worth a try?

[ApriliaRS]

Cheers man, the first rep of 110 on Push press felt really good, was sure I had a second... and then it didn't move :pfft: Maybe next week I'll shoot for 112.5 or 115.

Haha interesting you point that out (the long term thing) because as soon as I re-read that I kinda thought "well, long term more power would surely come from the hams+glutes!", so maybe I'll be looking at immediate-to-mid term. I think I jumped from a narrow stance to a pretty wide stance too soon. But good advice though, I think for now I'm just going to go with what is comfortable (which is narrower than what I've been doing for the past couple months), and keep trying to bring the hams up like you've done. I definitely started out with very little hams (more activation of them in my case I think), but I reckon that's improved slightly.

As for Oly shoes, nah I've only ever done chucks/bare feet. Reckon they're worth a try?

I think a stance that's slightly wider than shoulder width works fairly well for a lot of people; it allows you to sit back and use your glutes and hammies but also to really drive up with your quads. Oly shoes are great for hitting your quads or finding depth if you struggle with flexibility (and for bench!), but I find that it's very hard to feel the weight loading onto my hamstrings as I descend in them, and because of this I feel like the only drive out of the hole is from my quads - presume this is because it pushes my knees forward a fair bit. That might all be because of my proportions, or because my hamstrings are tiny and fairly useless, though. Always worth experimenting though!