Squats forge Iron Gods...

[OnlyHuman]

Are you still doing exams?? Trainings looking good none the less :clap:

Thanks TT but nah ... the last one was on the 1st. Needed a few days to come out of my zombie like stage :puke: :shifty: Time to make some gains :pray:

Week 4 / Day 2

Chest supported BB row

65 x 8

65 x 8

65 x 8

65 x 8

65 x 8

65 x 10

Close grip BP

100 x 5

100 x 5

100 x 4

BP

100 x 4

90 x 3

90 x 3

Light shoulder work...

OK session.

I was hoping to manage 3 x 5 on the close grip but fall short by one rep. Try again at some stage :wink:

[Phedder]

Are you still doing exams?? Trainings looking good none the less :clap:

Thanks TT but nah ... the last one was on the 1st.

Congrats on finishing up for the year Time to unleash the beast :twisted:

...... First comp next year is auckland raw challenge in march .....

Is the calendar out already? point me in the right direction would ya :wink:

Love the sound of a raw comp in march... got me all excited

Allow me http://www.sportsground.co.nz/ClubSite. ... 2764&Tab=2

[OnlyHuman]

Are you still doing exams?? Trainings looking good none the less :clap:

Thanks TT but nah ... the last one was on the 1st.

Congrats on finishing up for the year Time to unleash the beast :twisted:

...... First comp next year is auckland raw challenge in march .....

Is the calendar out already? point me in the right direction would ya :wink:

Love the sound of a raw comp in march... got me all excited

Allow me http://www.sportsground.co.nz/ClubSite. ... 2764&Tab=2

Thank you Phed :grin: so helpful!!!!

Raw comp = =P~

12 weeks of busting ass ahead!

Just the motivation I need I think :wink:

Disclaimer: (Pending my body hold together for 12 weeks and no major injuries of any kind of course...)

[OnlyHuman]

Week 4 / Day 3

Deadlift

140 x 3

140 x 3

140 x 3

140 x 3

140 x 3

140 x 3

140 x 3

140 x 3

Posterior chain work

GHR was the flavor of the day... Lots of sets, low reps.

Core

- Straight leg raise.

- Roman chair.

Decided to do my deadlifts in a flat soled shoe for a change. They were ok.

Not a bad day in the office but than again can't have many of those if I want to have a decent day on the 3rd of march

[Phedder]

Good volume on the deadlifts :nod:

Decided to do my deadlifts in a flat soled shoe for a change. They were ok.

Do you usually do them in a heeled shoe? Did you find switching to a flat sole reduced the distance you had to bend down to the bar?

[OnlyHuman]

Good volume on the deadlifts :nod:

Decided to do my deadlifts in a flat soled shoe for a change. They were ok.

Do you usually do them in a heeled shoe? Did you find switching to a flat sole reduced the distance you had to bend down to the bar?

Thank you Phed

I usually do them in oly shoes. I'm only like 5'7". The oly shoe's hill is 3/4 of an inch I think, thus the distance is not as big of a factor ... I rather aim to bring some weakness up.

The last few months I have been trying to stay a bit more upright with my deads and was on a mission to stop my hip shooting up too fast. I'm quad dominant so heels helped me make the most of my initial pull (I think :-s )

This worked quite well and my hip seem to stay in a better position during the pull, but I noticed that I lack posterior chain strenght/size.

So now when I have 12 weeks till the next dance off :pfft: :pfft: :pfft: it is time for me to patch some weaknesses up and paying some extra attention to my lacking posterior chain. (Trying to load it more during the initial part of the pull.)

[Phedder]

Good reply, makes perfect sense :nod:

Will be interesting to see after 12 weeks of extra posterior chain work, if you still feel stronger with heels for the initial pull, or if flats feel stronger as you will be able to better use your posterior chain. Could be a nice experiment :nod:

If you had access to a video camera you could film yourself side on lifting in heels and then in flats, and then again at the end of the 12 weeks and see how it all compares Something challenging but manageable, like 3-5 reps at 80% or so.

[OnlyHuman]

Good reply, makes perfect sense :nod:

Will be interesting to see after 12 weeks of extra posterior chain work, if you still feel stronger with heels for the initial pull, or if flats feel stronger as you will be able to better use your posterior chain. Could be a nice experiment :nod:

If you had access to a video camera you could film yourself side on lifting in heels and then in flats, and then again at the end of the 12 weeks and see how it all compares Something challenging but manageable, like 3-5 reps at 80% or so.

Yeah... A video camera be handy as :nod: Don't have one

Should invest in one when I have some $$$ to spend on lifting.

Also I am pondering about which way would I have better potential to pull. Bringing up weaknesses is one important part of the puzzle... but so is applying your strengths. What you recon?

Week 4 / Day 4

Hammer rows

45 x 12

45 x 12

45 x 12

45 x 12

Bench

110 x 3

95 x 5

95 x 5

Marfen

90 x 5

90 x 5

90 x 5

Light shoulder work at a low volume...

Bench: Happy with this today. I wanted to see how I would fair on 110 for a triple just so I can gauge if I need to change my training approach on the bench. Things felt better than expected so feel pretty happy about that. A few slight tweaks needed in bench programing ... but nothing serious.

[OnlyHuman]

Week#4 / Day#5

Squats

140 x 3

140 x 3

140 x 3

140 x 3

140 x 3

120 x 3

120 x 3

120 x 3

120 x 3

120 x 3

Posterior chain work at low volume medium intensity...

Core

AB wheel roll outs.

Changed the way I set up in the power cage for squats. I had the safety pin higher than usual, forcing me to stop just below parallel. Made things quite hard and highlighted how much I utilize the "bounce off the calves" when I reverse the weight. It was interesting to see, but not so nice to experience. I feel much weaker this way :? Fingers crossed it is a good idea, and hopefully it will help me bring up the squat overtime. Just trying to patch up weaknesses ...

[OnlyHuman]

Week#4 / Day#6

Chest supported BB row

65 x 8

65 x 8

65 x 10

65 x 9

Close grip BP

100 x 5

100 x 5

100 x 5

Bench

90 x 5

90 x 5

90 x 5

Light, low volume shoulder stuff...

Glad to finally pull off the 3 sets of 5 @ a 100 on the close grip. Feel like triceps strength is on the way up. Very much needed, and hope to put it to good use :wink:

[OnlyHuman]

Week 5 ... starting with a shitty day in the office!

Squats

140 x 4

140 x 4

140 x 2 :oops:

140 x 1 :?

I stopped here... SO DISAPOINTED.

While my bench feels great my squat is going backwards. :banging:

Smolov for the rescue?

[OnlyHuman]

Week#5 / Day#2

AM session

Squats

120 x 3

120 x 3

120 x 3

120 x 3

120 x 3

120 x 3

90 x 5

90 x 5

90 x 5

90 x 5

Core

- AB wheel

PM session

Close grip BP

105 x 3

102.5 x 3

102.5 x 3

102.5 x 3

102.5 x 3

102.5 x 3

Bench

95 x 5

95 x 5

95 x 5

Chins

4 sets of 5 reps

Some light shoulder work...

I did an extra session in the morning in order to make up for yesterday's disaster. I decided to seek out some advice about my squats and the way I wanted to program for it... got a "clip around the ears" :pfft:

Bench session was ok. I did my close grip bench with a thick bar. My nemesis :twisted: but ended up hitting the numbers I planed for, so kind of happy with that.

[Big john]

redemption squats! :twisted:

[OnlyHuman]

redemption squats! :twisted:

Long road to redemption :? my squat sucks!

Week#5 / Day#3

Deadlift

150 x 2

150 x 2

150 x 2

140 x 3

140 x 3

Speed squats

90 x 2

90 x 2

90 x 2

90 x 2

90 x 2

90 x 2

Core

- Roman chair

Posterior chain at medium intensity and low volume....

Average session. I so post to do speed squats at a higher weight but decided against it due to being as slow as a snail.

[OnlyHuman]

Week#5 Day#4

Bench

107.5 x 2

100 x 3

100 x 3

100 x 3

100 x 3

100 x 3

100 x 3

100 x 3

100 x 3

Front squats

110 x 2

117.5 x 2

117.5 x 1

110 x 2

100 x 2s x 3r

Bench

90 x 4

90 x 4

90 x 4

I give a B+ for my self for today's effort.

Bench: In hind sight I should have done 4 s instead of the triples but its ok.

Front squats: Haven't played with these in a while. Felt much heavier than expected but nothing unmanageable.

[tinytraps]

That bench is looking good mate keep it up!

[OnlyHuman]

That bench is looking good mate keep it up!

:oops: Thanks Big guy.

Squats

130 x 2

120 x 4

122.5 x 4

120 x 4

120 x 4

Speed bench

80 x 2

80 x 2

80 x 2

80 x 2

80 x 2

80 x 2

80 x 2

Romanian deadlift

3 sets of 8 @ 80

I give a B+ for my self for today's effort. Managed to push my self where I needed it and kept the ego out of decision making. Only if I did some lat/upperback work ... perhaps for an A- next time :pfft: Gym was closing anyways :wink:

[OnlyHuman]

Shit just got serious... Phase one.

Bench

100 x 5

100 x 5

102.5 x 5

100 x 5

100 x 5

Marfen bench

90 x 8

90 x 8

90 x 8

Front squats

100 x 3

95 x 4

95 x 4

95 x 4

Chest supported BB rows

60 x 8

65 x 7

65 x 8

67 x 6

Today's workout gets an A- Good energy, drive and form + kept ego out of decision making. A good start after a little bit of base-building.

Bench: Happy with how this is shaping up. For a little while my shoulders were the weak-link and held my progress back quite a bit, they seem to be up to scratch for now. Time to work the triceps a bit I think :shifty:

Front squats are back on the menu. Missed these bad boys....

[OnlyHuman]

11 weeks till showdown...

Squats... because they forge iron Gods :pfft:

130 x 5

122 x 5

120 x 5

120 x 5

Close grip BP

95 x 4

97 x 4

92 x 4

92 x 4

92 x 4

95 x 4

Good mornings

60 x 8

65 x 8

70 x 6

Core work....

Today's session gets a B+ Happy with it, especially when I consider that I did some work yesterday for both squat and bench. My gym will be closed for a week or so over the xmass and new years period. Just trying to get all this week's worth in then find an other place to play around for a few sessions. :cry:

Not sure about the GM at this stage, tried to load the hammies/glutes but my low-back seems to take over. While they always helped my pull in the past, I'm just concerned that if my low back gets dominant again my hip will pop up early in the pulls.Got to keep an eye on it...

[M.T]

Slick title change OH repped

[OnlyHuman]

Slick title change OH repped

Cheers M.T.

[Big john]

Slick title change OH repped

Cheers M.T.

i was also thinking this.....the gods show you favor :nod: 8)

[OnlyHuman]

Slick title change OH repped

Cheers M.T.

i was also thinking this.....the gods show you favor :nod: 8)

:pray: Please let it be! :pray:

[OnlyHuman]

Deadlift

140 x 5

150 x 5

Front squats

100 x 4

105 x 4

100 x 4

Bench

90 x 3

95 x 3

90 x 3

90 x 3

Core... roman chair.

Not sure how to rate today's work out. I only had 40 min so I just rushed it and I was slapping on biscuits as fast as my warm up allowed to get everything done I wanted to do.

Deadlift: Changed my technique (still conventional) and I think I like it.

Front squats: Hard at the beginning but went well buy the end. Probably due to the rushed warm ups...

I'm just glad I got some work done

[OnlyHuman]

1 Board bench

110 x 3

102 x 3

102 x 3

102 x 4

102 x 3

102 x 4

Squats

120 x 3

125 x 3

112 x 3

112 x 3

112 x 3

1 Arm DB rows

31 x 8

34 x 8

Today's session gets a B. Some stuff was ok but I faded fast by the end of it.

I had a long, but very good day.

My gym is officaly closed for about ten days now... need to find a gym close by to cover a few sessions till it reopens. :?