Mike goes to the OC

[Mike Zero]

Entry #175: Friday 11/01/2008

1. Sumo Deadlifts (Belt, 1.0m Stance)

2 x 60kg/132lbs x 5

1 x 75kg/165lbs x 5

1 x 100kg/220lbs x 3

1 x 125kg/276lbs x 3

1 x 150kg/331lbs x 1

1 x 175kg/386lbs x 1

1 x 200kg/441lbs x miss

1 x 180kg/397lbs x 3 PR

Bah! Never really done Sumos and it's been a while since last time, but I wanted to triple 200kg, yet I couldn't even break it off the floor! I was very slow at getting the weight off the floor compared to lockout (as you'll see in the vid). I'm assuming this is weak hips? I need to fix this if I want to Squat wider so I'll keep at the Sumos for a couple of weeks. Next week though, might pull from a 2" defecit and maybe make the trip to a gym with chains. Hips were shooting up earlier than they should've been too I think.

2a. Good Mornings

1 x 55kg/121lbs x 5

1 x 70kg/154lbs x 5

1 x 85kg/187lbs x 5

1 x 100kg/220lbs x 5

Wanted a triple of 115kg but weren't feeling these tonight.

2b. Wide Grip Pulldowns

1 x 55kg/121lbs x 6

1 x 65kg/143lbs x 6

1 x 75kg/165lbs x 6

1 x 85kg/187lbs x 6 PR

3a. Pull Throughs

1 x 45kg/100lbs x 6

1 x 59kg/130lbs x 6

1 x 72.5kg/160lbs x 6

1 x 86kg/190lbs x 6 PR

1 x 100kg/220lbs x 6 PR

3b. Yates Rows

1 x 50kg/110lbs x 8

1 x 60kg/132lbs x 8

1 x 70kg/154lbs x 8

1 x 80kg/176lbs x 8

First time doing these, the pause killed me.

4a. Cable Adductors

1 x 13.5kg/30lbs x 12

1 x 18kg/40lbs x 12

1 x 22.5kg/50lbs x 12 PR

4b. Cable Crunches

3 x 106.5kg/235lbs x 10 PR

5a. Cable Abductors

1 x 13.5kg/30lbs x 12

1 x 18kg/40lbs x 12

1 x 13.5kg/30lbs x 12

5b. Reverse Cable Side Bends

3 x 86kg/190lbs x 12

Other notes:

Pretty disappointing workout due to the Sumos and the GMs, but just got to pick up the peices and carry on.

[poos_n_wees]

Sweet PRs 8)

Had to youtube the Yates row.. looks fun

[AK]

Good one MZ :nod: I think your hip shoots up a "bit" more as you progress on your reps but nothing mayor ... Just my 2 cents ... Lifting strong. :wink:

[Mike Zero]

Sweet PRs 8)

Had to youtube the Yates row.. looks fun

Yeah, I didn't really like them. It was hard to hold the weight during the pause evenly.

Good one MZ :nod: I think your hip shoots up a "bit" more as you progress on your reps but nothing mayor ... Just my 2 cents ... Lifting strong. :wink:

Thanks AK. I'm pretty weak at Sumos but that's a good thing I geuss. If I can get them up it should push my Conventional up.

[Mike Zero]

Entry #176: Sunday 13/01/2008

Well I got my Grippers and have been playing with them over the past couple of days, decided to do my first "actual" workout today.

HG100lbs L-1x10 R-1x10

HG150lbs: L-1x10 R-1x10

HG200lbs: L-1x4 R-1x9

HG250lbs: R-1xMiss (about 1/4")

HG150: L-1x22 R-1x39

Did some timed Pinches with some random rocks, won't bother recording these as I'll forgot which rock I used for next time.

Already close to the 250lb Gripper, once I drop the frequency down from once a day and recover a bit I think I should get it.

[Laver]

Finally!

Ok, now discussion points of that video:

Is my form ok? Did I go low enough?

There is an obvious sticking point - How should I work on it?

Anything else?

Enjoy.

I don't know heaps on the subject; but from reading some articles by Hugo Rivera regarding how safe squats are -

He says when lowering you shouldnt go past the point where your kneecap is past your toes, as this leads to excessive stress on the kneejoint/kneecap, which if correct is obviously bad.

From first person perspective it doesnt seem like you can squat very deep @ all, cos it looks like ur caps past ur toes when youve hardly gone down @ all!

But if you look at it from the side you notice you can still go down fairly far, just proberbly not as deep as you go.

Just my 5 cents.

[Mike Zero]

We're on to page 27 now bud :grin:

That quote was from ~8 months ago :wink:

[AK]

We're on to page 27 now bud :grin:

That quote was from ~8 months ago :wink:

:grin:

[big MAC]

Good stuff duuuuuuuude.....

I've tried the 250lb HG and closed it for around 3 reps.

But the 200lb number 2, I can't close. Weird...

My hands suck for grippers, no idea why. Weakness most likely.

[Mike Zero]

Good stuff duuuuuuuude.....

I've tried the 250lb HG and closed it for around 3 reps.

But the 200lb number 2, I can't close. Weird...

My hands suck for grippers, no idea why. Weakness most likely.

HG250 for 3 reps aint no-thang to sneeze at if you haven't trained crush before. Gimme a few months :grin:

Do you mean the CoC #2 that you couldn't close? Because that's harder than the HG250: http://www.straighttothebar.com/2007/10 ... re_do.html

[Laver]

We're on to page 27 now bud :grin:

That quote was from ~8 months ago :wink:

LOL omfg im laughing so hard, thats so retarded, lol

ahaha good shit me, sigh..

[Mike Zero]

Entry #177: Monday 14/01/2008

1. 14" Box Squats

Equipment: Belt, 42 Cent (straps down)

Stance: 1.00m

1 x 60kg/132lbs x 5

1 x 80kg/176lbs x 5

1 x 97.5kg/215lbs x 5

1 x 115kg/254lbs x 3

1 x 132.5kg/292lbs x 1

1 x 150kg/331lbs x 3

1 x 160kg/353lbs x 3

Felt a lot better than last week. Added Centurion as briefs and no hip pain what-so-ever. Will continue to do so. Stance was good, no flexibility issues, 1.10m next week. Only problem today was I was setting up a little close to the box, I think sub-conciously I knew where it was and I sitting straight down about 2/3rds of the way through so I hit the centre.

2. Romanian Deadlifts

1 x 90kg/198lbs x 5

1 x 110kg/242lbs x 5

1 x 130kg/287lbs x 5

1 x 150kg/331lbs x 5

1 x 170kg/375lbs x 3

Everything felt light as up until 170kg, where my back was curving a bit so I put it down. Doing these beltless helped build my core a lot during Coan/Phillipi, so I'll include them in again as my core is verging on weak point.

3a. Cable Hip Adduction

1 x 18kg/40lbs x 12

2 x 22.5kg/50lbs x 12

3b. Cable Crunches

3 x 106.5kg/235lbs x 10

4a. Cable Hip Abduction

3 x 13.5kg/30lbs x 12

4b. Reverse Cable Side Bend

3 x 86kg/190lbs x 12

Other notes:

A few notes of plans for the near future.

Squat - Continue working on the box and widening stance in briefs. Possibly Smolov it up on the box in 1-2 months... Just an idea.

Bench - Not going to find my raw max after the Smolov cycle I just completed, no need. Going straight onto heavy lockout work. Got some bands coming so I'll through in some Revers Band Benching.

Deadlift - This week pull Sumo from ~2" deficit. Next week a Sumo triple at 190kg off the floor or give 200kg another crack. Two weeks 200kg for a triple off 4" deficit. Three weeks go for a 255kg single, maybe go for 6 plates if I'm feeling good.

[Mike Zero]

Entry #178: Friday 18/01/2008

1. Reverse Band Bench Press - Paused

Bands: IW Super Mini's #2

1 x 40kg/88lbs x 5

1 x 60kg/132lbs x 5

1 x 75kg/165lbs x 5

1 x 90kg/198lbs x 5

1 x 105kg/231lbs x 3

1 x 120kg/265lbs x 3

1 x 130kg/287lbs x 1

1 x 135kg/298lbs x miss

Picked up a couple of sets of bands so I'll start working them in. My sticking point on these is about 2.5 boards.

2. 2 Board Bench Press

1 x 60kg/132lbs x 5

1 x 72.5kg/160lbs x 5

1 x 85kg/187lbs x 5

1 x 97.5kg/215lbs x 5

1 x 110kg/242lbs x 3

Used to go touch and go on these but now I let it sink in. So weight has dropped a little bit. Was going for a 5 @ 110, just missed the 4th.

3. Tate Press

1 x 8.5kg/19lbs x 10

1 x 13.5kg/30lbs x 8

2 x 18.5kg/41lbs x 6

Other notes:

Well I've been sick this week so a couple of days behind. Ate less food in the past few days than I usually eat in one so that blows. Still feel like crap so I dropped the volume. If I'm not feeling 100% tomorrow I'll push my Deadlifts back another day, not worth wasting a workout.

[Big_J]

what do the bands do? help you lift the bar up?

i dont understand the point behind them, although i dont know anything about PL, explain please?

[Mike Zero]

what do the bands do? help you lift the bar up?

i dont understand the point behind them, although i dont know anything about PL, explain please?

Yeah help you lift the bar, but they help you more when they're stretched out further. So essentially there's less weight at the bottom than at the top which is just like Benching in a Bench Shirt. This exercise is just a lockout builder mainly, but I will be using the bands for other stuff now as well.

[AK]

Wish you a speedy recovery :think:

[Mike Zero]

Entry #179: Saturday 19/01/2008

Grip Workout

Right Hand

HG100 x 10

HG150 x 8

HG200 x 4

HG250 x 1 (1/4" away from 2nd rep)

HG200 x 20 PR

HG150 x 13 (drop set)

HG100 x 17 (drop set)

Left Hand

HG100 x 10

HG150 x 8

HG200 x 4

HG250 x 0 (1/4" away)

HG200 x 11 PR

HG150 x 10 (drop set)

HG100 x 15 (drop set)

Still feeling crapski. Pushing the Deadlift workout back another day, I seriously hope I'll be up to it tomorrow. Haven't be logging all my grip workouts but that's because it's been pretty much every day. Will drop the frequency down now though and log them all.

Wish you a speedy recovery :think:

Thanks Attila, doesn't look like it's happening though

[Mike Zero]

Entry #180: Sunday 20/01/2008

1. Sumo Deadlifts

Equipment: Belt, 42 Cent (straps down)

Stance: 1.00m

1 x 60kg/132lbs x 5

1 x 80kg/176lbs x 5

1 x 100kg/220lbs x 3

1 x 120kg/265lbs x 3

1 x 140kg/309lbs x 3

1 x 160kg/353lbs x 1

1 x 180kg/397lbs x 1

1 x 200kg/441lbs x 3 PR

Added briefs today, these felt ok but my hips still feel too high. Good PR especially considering the circumstances.

2. Speed Deadlifts (Conv.)

1 x 100kg/220lbs x 3

5 x 160kg/353lbs x 1

Working on form and speed. Have a lot of trouble sitting back into a Conventional Deadlift.

3. Pull-Throughs (Wide Stance)

1 x 72.5kg/160lbs x 8

1 x 86kg/190lbs x 8

1 x 100kg/220lbs x 8

Other notes:

Still feeling like absolute crap but could not push this workout back another day. Did it fasted otherwise it wouldn't have happened at all, I feel the worst after eating. Skipped the direct Hip, Core and Upper Back work but at least I finally got it out of the way.

[Mike Zero]

Entry #181: Monday 21/01/2008

1. Speed Bench Press

Band: Doubled Super Mini #2

1 x 40kg/88lbs x 3

1 x 50kg/110lbs x 3

6 x 60kg/132lbs x 3

More bar weight next time.

2. 2 Board Bench Press

1 x 65kg/143lbs x 5

1 x 77.5kg/171lbs x 5

1 x 90kg/198lbs x 3

1 x 102.5kg/226lbs x 3

1 x 115kg/254lbs x 3

Board holder couldn't get the right angle into his head, so I think the ROM was limited a bit more Easy anyway.

3. Push Press

1 x 40kg/88lbs x 5

1 x 50kg/110lbs x 5

1 x 60kg/132lbs x 3

1 x 70kg/154lbs x 1

1 x 80kg/176lbs x 1

1 x 90kg/198lbs x 1 PR

1 x 100kg/220lbs x miss

3 x 65kg/143lbs x 5

Didn't even need to press out on 90kg but hardly got 100kg off my chest. Once I get the form down I think I'll get 2 plates no sweat.

4. Tate Press

1 x 8.5kg/19lbs's x 10

1 x 13.5kg/30lbs's x 10

1 x 18.5kg/40lbs's x 8

1 x 21kg/46lbs's x 6 PR

Other notes:

Humid as in there tonight, also filled to the brim with the Resolutioners. Had to go one for one on the speed Benching with another guy, and had to take the bands off each time, which sucked. Less than a month before I start training in a real gym.

[poos_n_wees]

1. Sumo Deadlifts

Equipment: Belt, 42 Cent (straps down)

Stance: 1.00m

1 x 60kg/132lbs x 5

1 x 80kg/176lbs x 5

1 x 100kg/220lbs x 3

1 x 120kg/265lbs x 3

1 x 140kg/309lbs x 3

1 x 160kg/353lbs x 1

1 x 180kg/397lbs x 1

1 x 200kg/441lbs x 3 PR

Added briefs today, these felt ok but my hips still feel too high. Good PR especially considering the circumstances.

Nice PR.. 3 reps even How do you correct the 'high hips' thing? Do you just concentrate on keeping them lower for next time? Or do you do certain exercises to try and correct it? Its just that I think I may be doing the same.. :shifty:

[Mike Zero]

1. Sumo Deadlifts

Equipment: Belt, 42 Cent (straps down)

Stance: 1.00m

1 x 60kg/132lbs x 5

1 x 80kg/176lbs x 5

1 x 100kg/220lbs x 3

1 x 120kg/265lbs x 3

1 x 140kg/309lbs x 3

1 x 160kg/353lbs x 1

1 x 180kg/397lbs x 1

1 x 200kg/441lbs x 3 PR

Added briefs today, these felt ok but my hips still feel too high. Good PR especially considering the circumstances.

Nice PR.. 3 reps even How do you correct the 'high hips' thing? Do you just concentrate on keeping them lower for next time? Or do you do certain exercises to try and correct it? Its just that I think I may be doing the same.. :shifty:

Imo, it doesn't matter too much for Conventional Deadlifts, but it's a biggy for pulling Sumo, else your leverages will get f*cked up real fast. A good one is Deadlifting while standing on a box (as I did a couple of weeks back). It teaches you to squat down lower and pull the bar "back", rather than "up". Still very hard to apply to pulling off the floor though.

[poos_n_wees]

Ahhh.. thanks for that

[Destruction]

Zero, you still need to work your ass a bit more on those Deadlifts, but overall things are looking good.

[Pseudonym]

Humid as in there tonight, also filled to the brim with the Resolutioners.

Hahaha! Listen to the poor wee Nelsoner complain about humidity and overcrowding. You don't know the meaning of the words down there!

/bitter JAFA blog

[Mike Zero]

Humid as in there tonight, also filled to the brim with the Resolutioners.

Hahaha! Listen to the poor wee Nelsoner complain about humidity and overcrowding. You don't know the meaning of the words down there!

/bitter JAFA blog

:roll: Friggin city slickers