Mike goes to the OC

[Mike Zero]

Day 89: Saturday 25/08/2007

1. Squats

60 x 8 x 2

100 x 5 x 2

140 x 3 x 1

165 x 5 x 7

Notes:

Shit. Hardest one yet. Honestly, it was so hard. I was ready to throw in the towel at one point but just focussed on what I wanted out of this program. It helped that I expected this one to be that hard - and it didn't disappoint.

3 x 10 @ 172.5 tomorrow. The individual sets won't be as hard as today but there's 10 of them. Looking forward to gettting it over and done with tbh.

[Mike Zero]

325kg deadlift is a very big number. I think you have to be realistic with regards to what you're planning to do because adding 100+kg to your current deadlift within the given time frame is going to be hard. Not to discourage or take away anything from you, just a bit of reality here. Regardless, all the best if you're going to pursue it.

You're probably right, but I'll see where I am at the end of the year. And if I do decide to chase it, I can always reasses where I am halfway or something through next year to making it. And it would be gutting if I didn't make it and had nothing to show for the years effort bar a total that could've been much bigger.

But I'm just going to forget about it for now, set my sights on the meet in december.

[Mike Zero]

Day 90: Sunday 26/08/2007

1. Squats

60 x 8 x 2

100 x 5 x 1

140 x 3 x 1

172.5 x 3 x 10

Notes: Average difficulty, just the amount of sets really gets me down. Lower back was so fatigued from yesterday (and also a bit tight this morning, but I got over that fairly quickly) so that definately didn't help the workout. Through out this whole program, I've noticed my form has increased a lot. Noticed this a lot today. The first couple of sets today were really hard but I just focussed on sitting back a lot more and they were ok from then on.

So yeah, sweet. Feels good to get through that saturday/sunday combo again. Next week is the last week of this cycle. Each working set as another additional 5kgs!

And out.

[Mike Zero]

No training tonight, came home from school and slept. It's now 9. :shock:

Feeling a bit flat and tight in the lower back. Hopefully I'll be good for squats tomorrow. I'll probably just do them anyway.

[Oros]

Been scanning thru' you're log - trying to find age & body weight?

[Mike Zero]

Been scanning thru' you're log - trying to find age & body weight?

~90kg at the moment and 17.

[Mike Zero]

Entry #91: Tuesday 28/08/2007

1. Squats

60 x 8 x 2

100 x 5 x 1

140 x 3 x 1

150 x 9 x 4

Notes:

Hardest one yet. Harder than Sunday. Heart rate got up around 140 between the sets.

Just for the record, I only missed Upper yesterday, so still on track with the squats. Only 3 more to go. Not looking forward to them, 9 x 4 is usually the easiest of the week and it was NOT easy.

Edit: lol, it's 2007...

[Mike Zero]

Entry #92: Thursday 30/08/2007

1. Squats

60 x 8 x 2

100 x 5 x 1

140 x 3 x 1

160 x 7 x 5

Notes:

I think I only did 6 reps on the 4th set so I did 8 on the 5th just in case. Felt a bit flat today so I just took my time to get through it.

Two more workouts then I can get some energy for other things too...

[Mike Zero]

Entry #93: Friday 31/08/2007

1. Bench Press

40 x 8 x 1

60 x 6 x 1

72.5 x 6 x 6

Day 1 of smolov junior - basically the same thing I'm just about finished for squats (well, for anything, but I'm doing it for bench).

2. T-Bar Rows

40 x 8 x 1

60 x 6 x 1

70 x 6 x 1 PR

72.5 x 3

3. Chin Ups

60 x 8 x 1

BW x 7, 4, 3

Still can't get past 7 chins... lol. I'll add 5kgs permanantly now. My traing partner has the same thing, there's just a number of Chin Ups I can't get past, even though I'm heavier - bodyweight was 95.5. So probably around 92 in the morning. +2.5kgs!

4a. Cable Internal Rotation

22.5 x 12 x 1

31.5 x 12 x 2

4b. Cable External Rotation

9 x 12 x 1

13.5 x 10 x 1

Other notes:

Pretty good workout all round. I'm not going to try and lose weight to get into the under 90kg class for the end of the year. It's probably not the best thing to do with training for this and training for league coming up (as well as getting my cardio conditioning up). I can't imagine how I would manage on a calorie deficit. That's not to say that if I can I won't dehydrate down if I'm in range.

[Mike Zero]

Entry #94: Saturday 01/09/2007

1. Squats

60 x 8 x 1

100 x 5 x 1

140 x 3 x 1

170 x 5 x 7

Notes:

Crazy feelings from fatigue during this hard as workout. Between the 5th and 6th sets I went for the door a few times wanting to give up but came back again, real confusing what I wanted to do because I knew if I'd give up I'd feel bad for it when I got home. Real strange. But I got through it.

Anyway, my form was pretty bad today. My posterior chain is absolutely fatigued, so I had a really hard time trying to sit back and trying to keep a tight arch. Also having a really hard time keeping it steady. I think it's time to call it a cycle and chuck in tomorrow's workout (which is the last one), I really feel like I'm beating a dead horse now (or at least one with a serious case of the flu).

[disasterpiece]

How often do u train mike...

Having a week or two off wouldnt hurt ur goals too much

[Mike Zero]

How often do u train mike...

Having a week or two off wouldnt hurt ur goals too much

Hey bro, At the moment about 5-6 times a week. But that's only because of this three week program I'm on. Next week and the week after will be fairly quiet one's but.

[Mike Zero]

Entry #95: Sunday 02/09/2007

1. Bench Press

60 x 8 x 1

77.5 x 5 x 7

Notes:

Second workout of Smolov Jr. - nice and easy still.

I took a video to see my form, I'll put it up soon. You can really see my massive monkey arms, my ROM is bigger than I thought even with the arch. First time I've seen myself benching.

Also seen as nobody was in the gym when I was done I took a pic of my quads (which have ballooned up over the course of this program). I should've taken measurements before hand but seriously, I'd recommend Smolov to a BBer who has lagging legs or just wants to put some size on them (who doesn't ) It's just that damn awesome.

Here's the pic anyhow.

[Mike Zero]

And here's teh vid:

Feel free to help out the form, only recently started tucking elbows.

[Mike Zero]

Entry #96: Sunday 02/09/2007

1. Squats

60 x 8 x 1

100 x 5 x 1

140 x 3 x 1

180 x 3 x 5

Notes:

So I decided to man up and go in. Doing half the sets was just a bit of a compromise between my poster chain and I. Was still getting the same form issues as yesterday but still got through the 5 sets despite probably pushing the envelope a bit. I probably didn't lose much by only doing 5 sets, the sets probably sort of asymptope and get less and less useful as you go on if you know what I mean.

I did 180kgs instead of 177.5kgs purely because I couldn't be bothered loading on all the plates when I could just load another 20 on and be 2.5kgs over. lol

Anyway, that's SMOLOV done and dusted. I'm sure as hell not going to miss waking up and hoping I get hit by a car while crossing the road so I don't have to go in and do squats later on. A weeks break from all leg work then I'll go in on the Monday and hopefully absolutely own my old max.

Yay.

[ScottHenry]

hey bro how do u find the 'tucking elbows technique' on the bench press? i get told to do it but i find it strains my tricepts more....

[Mike Zero]

hey bro how do u find the 'tucking elbows technique' on the bench press? i get told to do it but i find it strains my tricepts more....

Yeah. I just made a post about it in the pics section. To sum it up:

Tucking elbows is for a bigger bench press (assuming you don't have weak tris)

Flaring elbows is for building a bigger chest.

[Mike Zero]

I promised videos when I first started my log, but being annoyed with all the shit you have to do to get them up sort of held that back. But I have it all sorted out now, only takes about 5 minutes to finish one. So there'll be 2 more videos next week of a max squat and heavy deads, and then a max dead the week after (and also maybe an extra one of form work in my squat suit). Here's a video from squats on sunday. 180 x 3:

Posterior chain fatigue issues are showing pretty blatantly through my form there. Struggling to keep a tight arch/core and struggling to sit back (which in turn affected my depth, they were all pretty high).

[Mike Zero]

Entry #97: Tuesday 04/09/2007

1. Bench Press

40 x 8

60 x 6

82.5 x 4 x 8

Feeling slow as on these today.

2. T-Bar Rows

20 x 10

40 x 8

60 x 6

72.5 x 6 PR

75 x 3

3. Chin Ups

60 x 8

BW + 5 x 6, 4, 3

Bodyweight was 95kg. I said 7 reps was a mental block. I add 5kgs and only lose one rep over my three sets.

Other notes:

Nothing much else to say, back's a bit tight today.

[Mike Zero]

Entry #98: Wednesday 05/09/2007

1. Bench Press

40 x 8

60 x 6

80 x 1

87.5 x 3 x 10

Pretty easy.

2. Close Grip Bench Press

60 x 8

70 x 8 x 3

3. Incline Tate Presses

8's x 8

11's x 8

13.5's x 5

16's x 4

Other notes:

Dayum I forgot to do my rotator exercises, did stretch them out though.

[disasterpiece]

3. Incline Tate Presses

what is this

[Mike Zero]

Elbows out, dumbbells touching at all times.

[Old Bull]

Hey M,

Just watched the Squat Vid.

Couple of things,

Too many steps out you took nine steps before you started try to make it 3 or 4 steps. That conserves energy and makes you more efficient in your walk out.

Is your head tipping forward at the bottom, reason your elbows are tilting up and back which would indicate that your head is dropping forward at the start of the ascent of the Squat. Which in turn gives you that area you were talking about.

Posterior chain fatigue issues are showing pretty blatantly through my form there. Struggling to keep a tight arch/core and struggling to sit back (which in turn affected my depth, they were all pretty high).

Belt seems to be a bit high that position is good for Deadlifting you should try and bring it lower around your belly button. That will help in the same area you were talking about.

What is it like on that carpet it looks like you do not have good footing, try if you can to put some Particle Board down you will notice the difference immediately. You will have to get use to Squatting on a hard surface with minimal carpet.

The Wraps, they cover too much area you should bring them down one thickness top and bottom, I will give you the area they are allowed to cover: 15cm above and 15cm below the center of the knee joint no more than 30cm overall.

Stay Strong

OB 8)

[Mike Zero]

Entry #99: Friday 07/09/2007

1. Bench Press

60 x 8

77.5 x 6 x 6

2. Bent Over Row

60 x 8

72.5 x 8 x 3

I need to work on these, I've been neglecting all rows but V-Bar style one's.

3. Underhand Pulldowns

60 x 8

85 x 8 x 2

4. Cable Internal Rotation

22.5 x 12

31.5 x 12 x 2

5. Cable External Rotation

9 x 12

13.5 x 12 x 2

Other notes:

Nothing much to say. Maxing my squat on Monday, I hope smolov paid off...

[Mike Zero]

Hey M,

Just watched the Squat Vid.

Couple of things,

Too many steps out you took nine steps before you started try to make it 3 or 4 steps. That conserves energy and makes you more efficient in your walk out.

Is your head tipping forward at the bottom, reason your elbows are tilting up and back which would indicate that your head is dropping forward at the start of the ascent of the Squat. Which in turn gives you that area you were talking about.

Posterior chain fatigue issues are showing pretty blatantly through my form there. Struggling to keep a tight arch/core and struggling to sit back (which in turn affected my depth, they were all pretty high).

Belt seems to be a bit high that position is good for Deadlifting you should try and bring it lower around your belly button. That will help in the same area you were talking about.

What is it like on that carpet it looks like you do not have good footing, try if you can to put some Particle Board down you will notice the difference immediately. You will have to get use to Squatting on a hard surface with minimal carpet.

The Wraps, they cover too much area you should bring them down one thickness top and bottom, I will give you the area they are allowed to cover: 15cm above and 15cm below the center of the knee joint no more than 30cm overall.

Stay Strong

OB 8)

Thanks again OB, I'll work on all of that stuff.