Give me strength, or give me death!

[Monarchking]

Hey man I watcvhed. seen last last two squats, all the benches but missed the last round of deadlifts lol..

well done bro

[Phedder]

Cheers mate, should have said hello. Might catch ya next time your down if it's a regular thing :nod:

On a sad note I'm fairly sure my back injury isn't just muscular I'm booked in to see a physio on Wednesday afternoon, and I'm fairly sure I'll be getting a diagnosis of a bulged or possibly herniated disc. Not severe, no limb numbness etc but a fair bit of radiating pain and shooting pain in certain positions. I'm expecting I won't be able to squat or deadlift for at least 3-4 weeks (he says optimistically ) and likely have to build back into it after that.

On the bright side, it's a perfect time to give Smolov Jr for bench a go and work on strengthening my core, upper back and tris as well. Might have to get friendly with the leg extension and leg curl machines too :banging:

This will all of course depend on how Wednesday goes :pray:

[Phedder]

So it turns out that expecting the worst meant today's news was fantastic The physio is pretty sure it's nothing to do with the discs and is a deep muscle strain. The muscle has tightened up to help protect the area and doing so has caused a bit of compression which was causing the radiating pain down my right ass cheek. He's done some manipulations and it already feels a tonne better, heading back in for a check up next Thursday and he expects it to be pretty much back to normal by then.

Given that good news, I'm still going to go easy on the lower back for the next few weeks and think I've got a pretty solid plan to take me through South Islands and into Nationals. Still plenty of finer details to work out but here's the basic plan.

Week 1 (next week) -Smolov Jr for bench + non compressive leg work.

Week 2 Smolov Jr + front squats and ham curls etc

Week 3 Smolov Jr + light back squats but high vol/frequency + work up to 90% or so to determine weight for Smolov base.

Week 4 -begin Smolov base cycle for squats again, and ME/DE bench work

Week 5 - Smolov Base, ME/DE bench

Week 6 - Smolov Base, ME/DE bench

Week 7 - Deload for South Islands

Week 8 - Switching cycle week 1, Exams +speed DL and Bench

Week 9 - Possible mini holiday, Switching cycle week 2. + speed DL and bench

Week 10 - Smolov Intense, ME/DE bench. Ham/Glute assist

Week 11 - Smolov Intense, ME/DE bench. DE DL.

Week 12 - Smolov Intense, ME/DE bench. Ham/Glute assist

Week 13 - Smolov Intense, ME/DE bench. DE DL.

Week 14 - 1MEsquat, 1DE squat, ME/DE bench, Heavy DL

Week 15 - Deload for Nationals.

Very rough, but that's the plan. Obviously more assistance work will be thrown in with a focus on Upper back, Core, Hams and Shoulders.

[hjp]

Plan looks solid bro!! Glad to hear that the back isn't anything major, play it smart, sounds like you will be. Looking forward to this, big things ahead bro :nod:

[hjp]

By the way, awesome comp too man! Glad you got that 20 kg's on before comp :pfft:

[M.T]

WOW great plan to Nats build up bro! love it showing us House boys howit's done.

[HarryB]

Nice solid lifting phedder.

[Phedder]

Plan looks solid bro!! Glad to hear that the back isn't anything major, play it smart, sounds like you will be. Looking forward to this, big things ahead bro :nod:

By the way, awesome comp too man! Glad you got that 20 kg's on before comp

Was very glad to hear it myself. Think I'd just scared myself into the worst case scenario because Sat night and Sunday sucked, then started coming right.

That 20kgs was a total massacre man. Small children running in fear, a few even collapsing from sheer terror. Those were the easy ones :pfft:

WOW great plan to Nats build up bro! love it showing us House boys howit's done.

The last 5 weeks of smolov worked so well, I figured why not do another 13 :grin: I really need to bring up my bench, and want to give the intense cycle a good go as well but can't really jump straight into that yet so naturally I had to do the base again as well. Looking forward to it :twisted:

Nice solid lifting phedder.

Cheers Harry. Hopefully we get to see some newer videos of you on stage this year too, be awesome to compare to the one Cezare posted.

[Phedder]

First day back in since the comp, just wanted to work the whole upper body. Actually felt quite weak :-s

Weighed in at 97.8kg. Shouldn't be surprised as I've been eating as normal but with f*ck all activity, but I'll put it down to wearing different shoes today

Bench Press

lots x bar

2x5x60kg

3x80kg

3x90kg

3x100kg - Barely :shock: Ah well in 3 and a half weeks I'll be doing 10 sets of that

3x5x90kg

10x60kg

Lat Pulldowns

10x75

10x105

10x135

10+2x165

8x165

10x135

10x105

Seated DB Shoulder Press

10x13kg

5x18kg

3x6x23kg

10x13kg

Attempted pull ups/chin ups :oops: 3 of each, weak as piss.

Seated Cable row

2x10x105

Plate loaded Row

3x10x1pps

Flat DB Press

10x20kg

8x30kg

2x6x30kg - Weak and unstable.

Face Pulls SS Cable Curls

3x12x45 SS 3x12x45

[Phedder]

On Sat I went in for a quick leg/core session. Can't remember the weights etc but it was something like this;

Leg Press

5x10-12

Hammy Curls

4x8-10

Leg Ext

5x10-12

Back Extensions

5x15@BW

SS

Hanging leg raises

5x10

Pretty pansy stuff, felt so wrong not squatting

[Phedder]

This morning I had another speed agility and power session. We were in the gym instead of at the track which was nice, but we just worked through progressions into power cleans, clean and jerks and snatches. So fairly boring for me, but good to go through the motions. Worked up to a few sets at 40kg for power cleans, snatches, and clean and jerks.

This arvo I started Smolov Jr for bench.

Weigh in 97.2kg.

Bench Press

lots x bar

5x60kg

6x6x75kg

Military Press + Overhead Shrug.

3x5+5x40kg

1x5+15X40kg (5 presses, 15 shrugs)

Pull ups SS CG chin ups

4x5+3

Plate loaded Row (overhand)

4x10x1pps

Underhand Pull down

4x10x135

Alternating DB Hammer curls

24x13kg

3x14x21kg

Face Pulls

5x10x50

Back Extensions SS Hanging leg raises

3x15 SS 3x10

Machine Preacher Curl

2x10x30 - Terrible machine, very awkward movement. Won't be using it again.

[hjp]

Smolov Jr! Will keep a close eye on this, all I have seen run this had some good gains! Go hard mate

[Phedder]

Smolov Jr! Will keep a close eye on this, all I have seen run this had some good gains! Go hard mate

Cheers Hayden. I'm in need of some good gains, bench hasn't moved in months :oops:

[Phedder]

Sky was closed today so I made the trek into unipol. Busy as fuark :shock:

Smolov Jr W1D2

Leg Press (all benches taken, leg press was the only thing not in use )

2x20x2pps (took me a while to scavenge plates together)

2x15x3pps

3x10x4pps

Bench Press

lots x bar

5x60kg

5x70kg

7x5x80kg

Power Cleans

5x50kg

3x60kg

3x70kg

2x75kg

1x80kg

1x85kg

1x90kg - PB Came up really well too. I want to start including power cleans again, I need to break the 100, and they're fun

3x80kg - rep PB

3x5x60kg

[Phedder]

Yesterday, Smolov JR W1D3

Weigh in 98.0kg - PB

Bench Press

lots x bar

5x60kg

3x80kg

8x4x85kg

Pull ups

2x6

Chin ups

2x8

DB rows

10x20kg

10x40kg

11x51kg - PB Kroc style for these, didn't bring my chalk so grip was a big issue.

2x15x30kg

Pull downs

5x8-12 with 105-135. I used a different grip or different bar for each set.

Face Pulls SS Pressdowns

80ish total reps for each. I just went light and kept repping non stop, switching movements every 20-25.

Heading in soon for day 4.

[Phedder]

Smolov Jr W1D4

Bench Press

lots x bar

2x5x60kg

3x80kg

10x3x90kg - Left shoulder/pec issues :?

Front Squats

lots x bar

5x50kg

5x60kg

5x70kg

3x80kg

2x2x100kg (b)

5x80kg (b)

Lying Leg Curls

15x50

2x10x80

2x10x100

Romanian Deadlifts SS Power Cleans

3x5x60kg SS 3x3x60kg

Hardcore Planks

3x15-20secs. Ouch :shock: Felt these immediately and burning everywhere. Definitely making these a staple.

Hanging Leg raises

2x15

Quite frustrated with the bench. Yesterday in the later sets I felt my pec insertion area giving me grief right at the bottom of the press, nothing major but annoying enough. Today from sets 6 onwards it was much worse, I actually winced a few times. I've been doing plenty of massage/ball work for my shoulders and pecs but they really don't seem to be appreciating the volume. Weight wise it's piss easy so far, not working all that hard but my left pec doesn't seem to like it :shifty: I'll proceed cautiously on Monday and make sure to massage, stretch and do some flies beforehand but if it flares up again I may have to drop the Smolov Jr :cry:

Felt good to be doing some form of squats again, no issues with the back at all, as expected really. Top sets at 100 felt heavier than usually but I suppose that's expected after not doing fronts for 2 months or so, and no squats of any kind for 2 weeks. Will build these back up next week and reintroduce back squats as well.

[Phedder]

Had another speed agility and power session earlier today. In the gym again, this time doing squats and bench. Did some jump squats and then 4 sets of back squats, only up to 2x5x100kg. Felt good considering it's been 2 and a bit weeks since I last back squatted. Will add them back into training on Wednesday. Bench we worked up to doing heavy eccentrics and fast concentrics. I used 60kg for 3x5 with a person pushing down on the bar for the eccentric, then pressing as fast as possible when they released the pressure. Then did some bench throws in the smith machine. We'll be back on the track next week which I'm kinda glad about, a bit too basic for my liking in the gym

Smolov Jr W2D1

Bench Press

lots x bar

2x5x60kg

6x6x80kg

Flat Flies SS Chin ups

5x10x11kg 5x5xbw

Machine shoulder press

3x10x60 - just waiting for another machine.

Plate row machine - Underhand

12x1pps

10x1.5pps

2x6x2pps

10x1.5pps

3x12x1pps

DB rows - strict

15x20kg

2x12x35kg

Alternating hammer curls

24x13kg

2x20x16kg

Face Pulls SS Cable curls

4x10 for both.

Bench felt okay today, pec insertion didn't play up. 80kg might be too light to aggravate it though, so we'll see later this week. Decided to add some flies to help recovery, and those actually aggravated it a bit :pfft: Just had to cut the ROM a bit shorter, still got some good blood into the pecs.

[hjp]

Hope that pec issue goes away man! Doing all the right things with the massage an light flies.

Hope you can finish the prog with no major issues! Keep at it

[Phedder]

Hope that pec issue goes away man! Doing all the right things with the massage an light flies.

Hope you can finish the prog with no major issues! Keep at it

Cheers Hayden. I hope I can finish it too, the bench certainly needs a kick up the arse. It seemed to behave today so bodes well :nod:

Smolov Jr W2D2.

Weigh in: 98.2kg

Bench press

lots x bar

5x60kg

3x80kg

7x5x85kg - These felt great, no issue with the shoulder/pec insertion and I sped through them. Done in 15 min or so.

Power Snatches - Just wanted to work on these a bit and warmup for squats

5xbar

3x40kg

2x50kg

2x1x60kg - Not quite right, had to press a little at the top to finish the lift :naughty: Still PBs I suppose

Back Squats

2x5x60kg

3x100kg

3x120kg

3x140kg (b)

2x10x100kg - loose belt.

Lying Hamstring Curls

2x10x80lb

2x10x100lb

Hack squat

10xsled

10x1pps

10x2pps

Quick core circuit just twice through, no rest.

Hardcore Plank 20-25sec

Back Hyperextensions 20reps

Hanging Leg raises 15reps.

Great session today, things just felt together. Nice to ease back into the squats, 140 felt a little bit heavy on the back but that will change quickly. Reps at 100 were smooth and effortless. Will work on getting my Snatch form truly sorted at 50kg or so before moving onto 60 again. Still unsure on the hack squat, I just don't think it agrees with my knees. Plenty of tension on the quads, but at what cost? Should just front squat instead.

[Phedder]

My birthday present to myself arrived :grin: Bring on the speed bench and speed deads :twisted:

[Phedder]

Smolov Jr W2D3

Weigh in: 98.4kg

Bench Press

lots x bar

2x5x60kg

3x80kg

8x4x90kg - These all felt great, good power through every rep and tech felt spot on. Best my bench has felt in months.

Add doubled red band

Bar x 5

3x3x50kg +red band

Speed Deadlifts

2x5x60kg

3x60kg + red band

2x3x100kg + red band

2x3x100kg + blue band (b)

3x140kg (b) - Holy crap, lockout has never been so easy! For the first time ever I think my speed from knees to lockout was actually quicker than my speed of the floor.

1x160kg (b)

1x180kg (b)

3x140kg

Power Cleans

2x3x60kg

6x3x70kg

Good session, just toying with the bands on bench. I like the feel of it. Not much tension from the red band, maybe 10-15kg at the top max. Will probably start with 60kg + red bands for speed work once I finish Smolov Jr. For deads the red band isn't enough resistance, speed with the blues was still great but now I could actually feel a fair bit extra at the top which is exactly what I want. Nice quick reps and having to work a bit more for lockout. Stoked with how benching in general went, no complaints at all from the shoulder/pec insertion whereas last time at 90kg I was about to throw in the towel. Hopefully good to finish out the program strongly now

[hjp]

Sounds like the bench is doing well man! Keep that up bro.

I should add some band work on bench... May have to do that. Nice to see you adding them in man. Keep doing what your doing. It's working well mate

[Phedder]

I'm really hoping the bands will help me push through my usual sticking point on bench, and help my deadlift lockout a bit without having any negative effects during Smolov.

Smolov Jr W2D4 was on Saturday, then had my 21st that night so I'll try remember what I did :pfft:

Bench Press

lots x bar

2x5x60kg

3x80kg

10x3x95kg Volume PB - These were quite good, again tech felt solid and reps were pretty smooth. Last few sets the 3rd reps were slowing a bit, but still quick enough. Should be able to smash out the 10x3x100kg with a bit longer rest periods.

Squats

lots x bar

2x5x60kg

3x100kg

3x120kg

2x140kg (b)

1x150kg (b) - Felt heavier than I'd hoped, a few weeks off made a difference. I'll squat 4 times this week in prep for Smolov next week so should get me back in the groove.

2x8x110kg

Face pulls

4x15x50

Heading in this evening for Week 3, more squats and some back work.

[Phedder]

Had another speed agility and power session earlier today also, back on the track and just focusing on sprints. Most between 40-60m with various focuses, but all between 80-100% effort and probably 15 sprints total.

Smolov Jr W3D1

Weigh in: 99.6KG :shock: I shouldn't be surprised I suppose, I've been feasting all weekend with really high carbs and not doing my usual fasts. Back to fasting and higher protein/less carbs so should be back around mid 98s soon, then back to the slow and steady gains.

Bench Press

lots x bar

5x60kg

3x80kg

6x6x85kg

CG chin ups

6x5xbw - Superset between bench working sets

Squats

lots x bar

2x5x60kg

3x100kg

3x5x120kg (loose belt)

Plate row machine

12x1pps

10x1.25pps (overhand)

2x10x1.25pps (underhand)

Face Pulls

3x15x50

[hhhh1]

Weigh in: 96.6KG I shouldn't be surprised I suppose, I've been feasting all weekend with really high carbs and not doing my usual fasts. Back to fasting and higher protein/less carbs so should be back around mid 98s soon, then back to the slow and steady gains.

wait wut

you lost weight by feasting and eating heaps of carbs and now youre going to gain weight by fasting?