Mike goes to the OC

[Mike Zero]

Hey bro, well done on your first Nationals and congrats on the title and the new records. You're a freggin machine young fella. wish I could have been there in the weekend but family commitments to attend to. Hearing the results certainly got me pumped to go and train but that lasted only 10sec after Mrs Tonka made 2kg of schnitzel for dinner last night...yeah buddy!!

I talked with Barbender ® and he mentioned that you had some good talks with him down south. What I should do is get onto Mike G and the rest of the boys down at ESB and get them to organise a training work shop. We have been talking about it for a while now and I think taking advantage of barbenders knowledge would be benefitual for all. Talk to Mike G and the boys again bro. They were talking about paying air fares/accomodation etc...it would be great to get together and do something like that!

Rest up bro and enjoy the break. Im sure you'll be back in the gym within the week because guys like us cant help staying out.

Train hard bro and keep in touch.

Stay strong

T

Thanks T, yeah Rona is great. I picked up so much from just the small amount of time with him. Would be awesome for me to have another run in with him and you. Maybe Bench Nationals? I'm considering going there before Oceania's, as my bench definitely needs some specific direction. Usually after a meet there's some feelings of doubt in wanting to get back into the gym (although I know it's just a fried CNS talking). This time round I'm friggin' so amped, feeling great after the weekend physically and mentally. Maybe too keen as I had my first session back today, full volume :pfft:

Will most definitely keep on touch bro.

[Mike Zero]

Argh, we're our own worst critics aren't we? Just watched the vid... Sooo close with the 155kg bench!

But well done on the comp Mike :nod: The experience in itself is worth its weight in gold, and your motivation seems sky high now.

I have a completely new mentality there which I won't go into right now. I have a lot of new ideas for training and about the lifts in general (mainly thanks to Rona). I know what I need to work on and I'm inspired after seeing a specifc few lifting yesterday. Bring on Oceanias, individual goals for each lift then are 300/180/317.5, total goal 772.5. I am more psyched about my training than ever, time to get serious, train hard and put on a good 6-7kgs.

Atta boy. Give 'em hell!!

Thanks for the words PnW. As I said to T, friggin' amped!!!

[Mike Zero]

Entry #261: Monday 18/08/2008

1. Close Grip Bench Press

1 x 40kg/88lbs x 10

1 x 60kg/132lbs x 8

1 x 80kg/176lbs x 5

1 x 100kg/220lbs x 3

1 x 110kg/242lbs x 2

2a. Bent Over Rows

1 x 60kg/132lbs x 6

3 x 92.5kg/204lbs x 6

2b. Tate Presses

1 x 12.5kg's x 10

3 x 20kg's x 10

3a. Barbell Shrugs (D.O. no straps)

1 x 100kg/220lbs x 15

2 x 150kg/331lbs x 15

3b. GHR

3 x BW x 10

3c. Standing Abs

3 x 54kg x 12

4a. Hammer Curls

3 x 20kg's x 10

4b. Band Pull Aparts

3 x 12

Notes:

Not f*cking around getting back into things and feeling great. Weighed in at 237lbs fully clothed after training, this'll be my starting point. Want to put on ~6kgs so I want to take that 237lbs up to around 250. Going to add 100mls of Olive Oil mixed in with 2 liters of milk per day to the "diet". Going to smash the volume at the gym and deload sensibly. Going to squat 300kg at Oceania's and bench 180. I'm feeling great and more motivated than ever. Time to get serious.

[SoaringSwine]

Nice one Mike. Good attempt on that third squat, another day it would have flown up. Now you're going to have to explain the story with the Michael Fry chants...

[Tonka]

Nice one Mike. Good attempt on that third squat, another day it would have flown up. Now you're going to have to explain the story with the Michael Fry chants...

Michael Fry...YEAH

Michael Fry...YEAH

Man I wasnt even there and I heard all about it!!

[Laver]

Awesome lifting bro, pity you missed some you thought you'd nail.

Next time for sure.

[Mike Zero]

Entry #262: Wednesday 20/08/2008

1. SSQ Box Squats 12" + 2" foam, w/20kg chain

1 x 70kg/154lbs x 5

1 x 90kg/198lbs x 5

1 x 110kg/242lbs x 3

1 x 130kg/287lbs x 3

1 x 150kg/331lbs x 3

1 x 170kg/375lbs x 3

Never been to good with the SSQ Bar, expected to just do a tough single with 170kg, but got an easy triple :clap:

2a. Barbell Shrugs

1 x 100kg/220lbs x 5

3 x 170kg/375lbs x 5 PR

2b. GHR

1 x BW x 6

3 x 10kg x 6

3a. Bent Over Rows

1 x 60kg/132lbs x 8

3 x 82.5kg/181lbs x 8

3b. Standing Abs

3 x 54kg x 12

4a. Face Pulls

2 x 66kg x 12

4b. Standing Calf Raises

2 x 90kg x 14

4c. Tate Press

2 x 12.5kg's x 20

Notes:

Feeling like I'm building up some momentum in the workouts already. This is going to be a good cycle :grin:

[Mike Zero]

Nice one Mike. Good attempt on that third squat, another day it would have flown up. Now you're going to have to explain the story with the Michael Fry chants...

I had about 20 mates that road tripped down to Timaru and turned up (possibly inappropriately) drunk. Whenever the MC (Julian at the time) announced my name they'd get real rowdy, so Julian kept egging them on.

Awesome lifting bro, pity you missed some you thought you'd nail.

Next time for sure.

Cheers bro.

[Flamer]

MZ - what's a SSQ bar?

[Mike Zero]

MZ - what's a SSQ bar?

It's a special bar that builds up your back and core strength hard. It forces you over so you can stay more upright with a standard olympic bar. It also takes all the stress off your elbows and shoulders so let's you give them a rest or still train your squat through injuries. Also just a good variation, and very humbling lol. And good for GMs.

[Flamer]

Thanks :grin:

[Mike Zero]

Entry #263: Saturday 23/08/2008

1. Raw Conv. Deadlifts

1 x 60kg/132lbs x 5

1 x 100kg/220lbs x 3

1 x 140kg/309lbs x 2

1 x 170kg/375lbs x 1

1 x 200kg/441lbs x 1

1 x 230kg/507lbs x 3 PR

1 x 250kg/551lbs x 1 PR

First time doing these in 14 weeks. Good to see they're still going up while I'm just focussing on my Sumo.

2. Barbell Shrugs

1 x 100kg/220lbs x 10

3 x 160kg/353lbs x 10

3a. Bent Over Rows

3 x 72.5kg/160lbs x 10

3b. Standing Abs

3 x 10

Notes:

Back home in Mot for the weekend, so not many training options in the old gym. Volume will be a bit lower.

[Mike Zero]

Entry #264: Monday 23/08/2008

1. Close Grip Bench Press

1 x 40kg/88lbs x 8

1 x 60kg/132lbs x 6

1 x 80kg/176lbs x 3

1 x 95kg/209lbs x 1

1 x 110kg/242lbs x 3 PR

1 x 115kg/254lbs x 3 PR

1 x 125kg/276lbs x 1 PR

Up a lot on last week. 125 is an all time raw bench PR.

2. Barbell Rows

1 x 60kg/132lbs x 8

3 x 95kg/209lbs x 6

3a. Tate Press

4 x 10

3b. Barbell Shrugs

3 x 145kg/320lbs x 15

4a. Lateral Raises

4 x 12

4b. Hammer Curls

3 x 10

Notes:

Last training in the old gym before I head back and first time training in front of a mirror for a few months, gotten a lot bigger through the shoulders/traps/arms

[Mike Zero]

Entry #265: Wednesday 25/08/2008

1. SSQ Box Squats 12" + 2" foam, w/20kg chain

1 x 60kg/132lbs x 5

1 x 80kg/176lbs x 3

1 x 100kg/220lbs x 2

1 x 120kg/265lbs x 1

1 x 140kg/309lbs x 1

1 x 160kg/353lbs x 1

1 x 180kg/397lbs x 2 PR

2. BB Shrugs

1 x 140kg/309lbs x 5

3 x 175kg/386lbs x 5

3a. Bent Over Rows

1 x 60kg/132lbs x 8

3 x 85kg/176lbs x 8

3b. GHR

3 x 10

4a. Standing Abs

3 x 54kg x 12

4b. Face Pulls

3 x 66kg x 12

4c. Standing Calf Raise

3 x 10

Notes:

Tried to do various types of GMs after my squats. Didn't work out too well, don't like GMs, don't like being on my toes under a bar.

[TheGus]

Fucking awesome to see your progress bro. You're a machine. Good stuff at the nats.

[Mike Zero]

Entry #266: Saturday 30/08/2008

1. Sumo Deadlift against doubled small bands - no belt

1 x 60kg/132lbs x 5

1 x 100kg/220lbs x 3

1 x 130kg/287lbs x 2

1 x 160kg/353lbs x 1

1 x 190kg/419lbs x 1

1 x 220kg/485lbs x 3

2. Sumo Deadlift suit work

1 x 220kg/485lbs x 1

1 x 240kg/529lbs x 1

1 x 260kg/573lbs x 1

Used my 40 centurion with the straps freshly taken up. I've come to the conclusion that the legs are far to short to give good pop off the floor. So might just stick to the old warn out, loyal 42 and give it a warm wash. Next year might get a custom but until then I'll just get stronger. Don't have to get into the optimal suit yet.

3a. Barbell Rows

1 x 60kg/132lbs x 10

3 x 85kg/187lbs x 10

3b. GHR

20 reps

4a. Standing Abs

2 x 60kg x 10

4b. Hammer Curls

2 x 10

4c. Band Pull Aparts

2 x 10

Notes:

Am going to mix up the training template a bit: Start speed benching next week and drop the deadlift day the week after for speed squats (but still deadlift most weeks). Going to add a lot of deficit sumos because if I can get a weight off the floor with my hips in a good position it's definitely going up, if I get it off the floor in a bad position it'll stall near the top no matter how strong my lockout is.

[Varven]

Curious to see your new template. Guessing its WSBB hybrid with more emphasis on your weak areas?

Speaking of the East Side boys, found this video on youtube:

Watch the judge at 31secs into the video, Clearly, it was cause of the disbelief from watching the lifter :pfft:

[TheGus]

Haha that's mikes vid. Mike made 280 look so easy!!

[Mike Zero]

Entry #267: Monday 01/09/2008

1. 2 Board Bench Press

1 x 50kg/110lbs x 8

1 x 70kg/154lbs x 6

1 x 90kg/198lbs x 4

1 x 110kg/242lbs x 1

1 x 130kg/287lbs x 3

A bit shaky raw under the heavier weights, will throw in some raw 4 board on my speed bench day.

2. Shirt work - 42 F6

2 x 140kg/309lbs x 3 (no touches)

1 x 145kg/320lbs x 3 (1st no touch)

1 x 150kg/331lbs x 3

Collar was medium positioning. Elbows were losing line at the start but that was a lot better in the 3rd and 4th sets. Going to get a new shirt before Oceanias - new back mass does not fit into this one and it pulls my shoulders apart hard.

3. Barbell Rows

1 x 60kg/132lbs x 6

3 x 100kg/220lbs x 6

Back was exhausted from the shirt work.

4a. Tate Press

1 x 15kg's x 10

3 x 22.5kg's x 10

4b. GHR

3 x 10

5a. Standing Abs

2 x 15

5b. Hammer Curls

2 x 10

5c. Band Pull Aparts

2 x 10

[Mike Zero]

Curious to see your new template. Guessing its WSBB hybrid with more emphasis on your weak areas?

Speaking of the East Side boys, found this video on youtube:

Watch the judge at 31secs into the video, Clearly, it was cause of the disbelief from watching the lifter :pfft:

Hey Varven good to see you back.

Template has been WSBB hybrid, no DE bench (due to elbows) and deadlift day instead of DE squat. Over this week and the next I'll be phasing into WSBB fully again, ME/DE squat and ME/DE bench - because that's what I currently need.

Yeah I took most of those videos, that one was a good laugh. Here's the full one:

[Mike Zero]

Entry #268: Wednesday 03/09/2008

1. SSQ Box Squats 12" + 2" foam, w/20kg chain

1 x 65kg/143lbs x 8

1 x 85kg/187lbs x 5

1 x 105kg/231lbs x 3

1 x 125kg/276lbs x 1

1 x 145kg/320lbs x 1

1 x 165kg/364lbs x 1

1 x 185kg/408lbs x 3 PR

2a. Bent Over Rows

1 x 60kg/132lbs x 8

3 x 90kg/198lbs x 8

2b. GHR

2 x 8

2 x 10kg x 8

3a. Standing Abs

2 x 54kg x 12

3b. Face Pulls

2 x 12

3c. Standing Calf Raises

2 x 12

[Luigi]

just been watching your vids on youtube impressive strength~! might be joining eastside bb gonna come in for a look 2mo

[Varven]

Are you keeping any RE days in addition or as replacement to the DE days to ?

[Mike Zero]

just been watching your vids on youtube impressive strength~! might be joining eastside bb gonna come in for a look 2mo

Sweet bro what time you coming in? I'll be in at 5ish, I hope. Need to have a sleep somewhere between now and then, big night, got to bed at like 7am :pfft:

Are you keeping any RE days in addition or as replacement to the DE days to ?

Before nationals it was ME Squat/ME Bench/ME Deadlift, I dropped the RE Bench because I needed more recovery time. Now it's ME Bench/ME Squat/DE Bench/DE Squat.

[jono]

Nice work Mike. Strong