#drizzt

[drizzt]

02.06.11 - Base Meso, Week 3, Day 2

98 flat today. MT was 97.7 but that was with shoes on, so closer to 97.

• Squats (sets, reps, weights)
  Warmups
  1 x 10 @ 60kg
  1 x 8 @ 80kg
  1 x 6 @ 100kg
  1 x 4 @ 120kg
  1 x 3 @ 130kg
  1 x 1 @ 140kg
  1 x 1 @ 145kg
  Working Sets
  5 x 7 @ 150kg (+belt)
  
• Bench
  Warmups
  1 x 10 @ 60kg
  Working Sets
  2 x 8 @ 97.5kg
  

Comments

• Today was awesome, squats were simple as, 150 shouldn't be this easy! Tempted to go beltless but took the safer route.
  Also used the knee sleeves for the first time, and I'm not sure if it was placebo or whether they actually provide some assistance, but they felt great. Straight after putting them on, you can immediately feel the warmth being provided by them. Knees didn't "click" on almost every rep like they usually do, and I felt like the travel was more comfortable. Even if they don't provide any assistance, I think that the comfort given alone is enough to justify them.
  Low bar position is starting to feel more comfortable, finding a good spot for it, and I can notice on the film that the elbows are further forward - although not quite as far as I would like. This should improve further over time as my shoulder flexibility improves. Stance has shifted out again slightly which is feeling more and more comfortable.
  Today I felt like every now and again I'd hit a sweet spot where everything came together, and the weight feels like 60kg - stance, bar position, tightness, chest, eyes, hips etc... all counting towards a really easy rep. The trick for me is finding that spot consistently :nod:
  So with the above seemingly small individual improvements in mind - on top of the increased hip mobility from sessions with The Doc - I think everything aligned for a great day under the bar. Pretty much every rep today was rock bottom depth, really happy with how it's going. At the start of the base cycle I was doing 152 for sets of 3 and they were kinda tough. So to be adding an extra 4 reps on basically the same weight, for easy sets, I'm stoked to have that, and shows that I've improved in the short time I've been doing the program :nod:
  
• Bench today was nothing to write about, only 2 sets prescribed today so basically did that and left.
  

Easy! Can't wait for 7 x 5 on Sat :gunfire:

Also found out today I'll be going to Las Vegas for my bday, maybe that had something to do with a good squatting performance :grin:

[mike27]

nice sessions! :nod:

whats ur daily diet?

[drizzt]

Cheers bro. As for diet, it's still fasting for 16 hours ala leangains, but I'm a bit more loose with the low-carb/hi-fat(non-training) and hi-carb/low-fat(training) days, where they are kinda blurred together now.

The one meal I make sure I nail is the post workout, where I eat almost anything and everything I can - trying to get a lot of cals, carbs and protein in it.

Otherwise it's pretty much "eat when I'm hungry", which turns out to be quite often on this program :shifty:

I'm wanting to drop the fasting method for a while, but just can't bring myself to do it. Maybe soon.

[drizzt]

04.06.11 - Base Meso, Week 3, Day 3

97.7 today, surprising, as had a very large whanau birthday feast last night, as well as a couple of layers of clothes :shifty:

Plus, I'm sure the beard is weighing in at about a kilo now

• Squats (sets, reps, weights)
  Warmups
  1 x 10 @ 60kg
  1 x 8 @ 80kg
  1 x 6 @ 100kg
  1 x 4 @ 120kg
  1 x 3 @ 130kg
  1 x 2 @ 140kg
  1 x 1 @ 150kg
  Working Sets
  7 x 5 @ 160kg
  
• Chins (dead hang)
  1 x 10 @ bw
  1 x 8 @ bw
  1 x 6 @ bw (sloppy)
  
• Rope Pushdowns :shifty:
  1 x 12 @ 90
  2 x 12 @ 100
  1 x 20 @ 100
  

Comments

• Scarily easy today. Took something Quigley said in about resetting after each rep and thinking about what I was gonna do, and it seemed to help a tad.
  Considering last week - 7x5 @ 155 - was the toughest squat session of my life, today, with an extra 5kg on top, was piss easy. Some reps were borderline depth, but not through lack of ability, more just trying to find the correct "range", as some reps were pretty deep without a lot of trouble.
  Something I'm really pleased about right now is the initial set up, and almost nailing the walkout every time. Stance has widened slightly from last week, elbows are further under the bar than they were (but not quite under the bar yet - working on it), and I feel like I'm finally beginning to activate things as they should be. Left shoulder (which was troublesome before the program started) is feeling a decent bit of pain with the lower bar position, but in the midst of the reps it gets forgotten ...until I'm resting in between sets.
  Knee sleeves also seem to be helping, whether it's in my head or not, I don't really care as they are providing me a boost one way or another, so I'm happy with that :nod:
  I remember looking at this week before starting the program, and wondering if it was even possible - especially Days 2 and 3. Now, it feels as though it's been the easiest week of the cycle to date (touch wood - with 10x3 to come obviously!).
  Assistance work was pretty easy, happy that chins haven't really dropped off as the bodyweight has risen.
  

One more session to go before a rest week, and then 1RM testing in a week's time :gunfire:

[teamfatboy]

I'm sure the beard is weighing in at about a kilo now

Found this out there on the innuhnet:

Like the biblical hero, it wasn't until his hair was cut did BeardStorm's Samson realise that the hair was his strength. Bald and shaven, everything was alien, cold and hard. With each day comes extra hair and a renewal of strength, stamina and vitality. With each day comes power.

Just sayin' :grin:

[drizzt]

Yuss, so I'm on the right track then :grin:

[runveerun]

Took something Quigley said in about resetting after each rep and thinking about what I was gonna do, and it seemed to help a tad.

This is a good idea! What went right, what needs tweaking etc I'm stealing this idea! :grin:

[Pseudonym]

Took something Quigley said in about resetting after each rep and thinking about what I was gonna do, and it seemed to help a tad.

When I do this, I get told I'm procrastinating, and should stop pissing around and start squatting.

[drizzt]

When I do this, I get told I'm procrastinating, and should stop pissing around and start squatting.

Ha, probably more of a case to be made for just banging them out in bodybuilding as you're just trying to work the muscle. In powerlifting, it's about maximizing the weight shifted, which comes from perfecting the rep.

Usually I blast them out with reckless abandon, but I find the reps do get gradually sloppier as I go along. Resetting after each one makes me think about it, rather than just falling into it. This ingrains the movement in my head, so it begins to become automatic. Then, hopefully when I'm testing the 1RM on the heavier weights, I'll have perfected the movement, and can shift more weight :grin:

Well, that's the plan anyways

[drizzt]

05.06.11 - Base Meso, Week 3, Day 4

98.2 today, standard.

• Squats (sets, reps, weights)
  Warmups
  1 x 10 @ 60kg
  1 x 6 @ 80kg
  1 x 4 @ 100kg
  1 x 3 @ 120kg
  1 x 3 @ 130kg
  1 x 2 @ 140kg
  1 x 1 @ 152.5kg
  1 x 1 @ 162.5kg
  Working Sets
  7 x 3 @ 167.5kg (+belt)
  3 x 3 @ 167.5kg (+belt/wraps)
  
• Face Pulls
  4 x 15 @ 20
  
• Seated Calf Raises superset with Standing Calf Raises
  4 x 12 @ 50kg & 20 @ 30kg
  

Comments

• Fairly tough session today, wasn't terrible but definitely not as easy as the week has been to date. Wasn't fully mentally there, I think I can blame that on a bit of a disrupted sleep, and feeling a bit clogged up again.
  Not too much to say about today, there was one set where I was really happy with each rep (set 5 I think), and all other sets were just passable. Depth was ok for the most part, but not as deep as it has been. Walk out was ok, but stuffed that up on a couple of sets. Left shoulder was in a lot of pain, had MT try and rotate it back into place which seemed to help a lot, but widened my grip a tad to take a bit of pressure off (which also helped).
  Wrapped up for the final 3 sets, and they weren't great either. First one was probably the best, but I was finding depth kinda hard to hit with them on (although I'd say they'd probably pass as parallel). Tried a different style of wrapping for the final set which was crap, didn't even feel like I had wraps on for it! So will stick to my sub-x method come test day.
  Wraps also did something funny to my lower leg, especially bad on my left side. The outer part of my shin (Tibialis anterior?) has sezied up since the session, and part of the back of my knee was incredibly painful to the touch which made wrapping around tightly difficult. Right leg seemed to be fine for the most part, though, although the calf muscle on that side took a little bit of a beating.
  Assistance was light and easy, just working the areas over. With no squatting this coming week, it's a prime opportunity to hit the smaller groups a bit better.
  

SO, last session of the base cycle done and dusted! I'll write a review of it after the test day, but honestly, it hasn't been as hard as I had feared before embarking on this quest. The toughest stretch was probably the first 3 days of the intro cycle, and then the odd hard session dotted throughout the past 3 weeks of the base cycle. The majority of it was fine though. I think they key is to be mentally prepared for it - people were telling me that you begin to dread the squat sessions, but I did nothing but look forward to the challenge each session brought, and I think that mindset has helped me out so far.

Anyway, looking forward to a week without squatting, and then the test day on Sunday 8)

[Big john]

As always bro...good weights being smashed. with this perticular cycle do you think there will be a "sheiko flu" like week or is it all the time squating to a max 4-5 days a week? 8) :grin: :pfft:

[drizzt]

As always bro...good weights being smashed. with this perticular cycle do you think there will be a "sheiko flu" like week or is it all the time squating to a max 4-5 days a week? 8) :grin: :pfft:

Cheers bro! 8)

And hmmm, I have been feeling consistently flu-ey, but I'd say that'd have more to do with the weather than the weights At times it feels like I'm squatting to a max each session! But not quite at a Pman level yet

Intense cycle (which kicks off in 3 weeks) sounds easier at "only" 3 days per week as opposed to the 4 we have been doing, but the volume per session ramps up heavily, so I can imagine that will beat us up a bit.

[nzmusclemonster]

I went to Joe's Garage today.... awesome food. No idea how you eat so much. I had the local and was stuffed!

[drizzt]

I've always been a pretty big eater, so I'm letting my gut do the talking for this squat cycle :grin: M.T has had to struggle through a few sessions of Joes 8)

Seriously had days where I'm sure I can do two locals - I did a local + a joker once (bratwurst in a big bun) + large fries. I will do a 2x local session one day :nod:

But yeah Joes is so good that we stopped shopping around for our big breakfasts, and just made it our usual

[Big john]

I've always been a pretty big eater, so I'm letting my gut do the talking for this squat cycle :grin: M.T has had to struggle through a few sessions of Joes 8)

Seriously had days where I'm sure I can do two locals - I did a local + a joker once (bratwurst in a big bun) + large fries. I will do a 2x local session one day :nod:

But yeah Joes is so good that we stopped shopping around for our big breakfasts, and just made it our usual

ok, youve piked my interests now :twisted: . if im ever down there thats where im heading!

[Old Bull]

Good session today Drizzt, for both you and MT, quick turn around on the work sets, was a pleasure to watch. Enjoy the week off you guys have earned it.

OB

[drizzt]

BJ - Definitely bro :nod:

OB1 - Thanks, tougher today but hopefully the week off will do us well :nod:

Weekly wrap-up:

[Pseudonym]

Aww, look at those shiny new knee wraps! Very nice.

[poos_n_wees]

Awesome vid! Motivating stuff :nod:

Drizzit, is that you in the first 30secs of the vid? I want those shoes :shock: What brand are they?

[Big john]

I want those shoes :shock: What brand are they?

look like the ones from underground something a rather , did you order them in oz bro?

[drizzt]

Aww, look at those shiny new knee wraps! Very nice.

Love them, keep the knees toasty as :nod:

Awesome vid! Motivating stuff :nod:

Drizzit, is that you in the first 30secs of the vid? I want those shoes :shock: What brand are they?

Thanks! And yep, that would be me. The shoes are Risto Sport's Linea Blancas. Had them for about a month now, really happy with them :grin:

I want those shoes :shock: What brand are they?

look like the ones from underground something a rather , did you order them in oz bro?

Nah man, straight from the States :nod:

[poos_n_wees]

Thanks! And yep, that would be me. The shoes are Risto Sport's Linea Blancas. Had them for about a month now, really happy with them :grin:

Oooh chooooice, thanks for that. I'm torn between those and the LG Thunder

Looks like it'll be 2min noodles and water for a month...lol

[runveerun]

The shoes are Risto Sport's Linea Blancas. Had them for about a month now, really happy with them :grin:

The shoes are teh cool. I would trade my shiny chucks for those! Nice vid Drizzt it's good to see so much squatting! 8)

[HarryB]

Nice work man, the changes in foot and hand placement are helping. Still a fair way to go with your elbows like you have been saying but already a noticeable improvement in your push out of the hole. Looking a lot more stable! Good work bro!

[drizzt]

Looks like it'll be 2min noodles and water for a month...lol

Ha yeah, not terribly cheap! I suppose I thought of it as how much squatting I'll be (and have been) doing and how a specific shoe would help out :nod:

The shoes are teh cool. I would trade my shiny chucks for those! Nice vid Drizzt it's good to see so much squatting! 8)

Should see if you can get custom, heeled chucks? And thanks!

Nice work man, the changes in foot and hand placement are helping. Still a fair way to go with your elbows like you have been saying but already a noticeable improvement in your push out of the hole. Looking a lot more stable! Good work bro!

Cheers Harry, it is only one week in after the changes so I haven't expected miracles from it! But will stick at it and keep trying to get those elbows under.