#drizzt

[devil_911]

I think I am gonna have to try these BB Hack Squats.I havent been doing normal hack squat cause of the knee pain

how do you find them on your knee bro?did you need to use knee wraps on top sets?

[drizzt]

Nah I don't wrap for them, and not sure they'd give me too much anyway... but did use my knee sleeves just to keep the knees warm.

They're awesome to do, just bad for dudes (and chicks) with big hams/glutes. My J-lo ass and biggish hams are hard to get around with this movement, but lots of people have it worse...

I also find the alternate grip ala deadlifting uncomfortable, so I double overhand. Good practice, but also means the grip will give out fairly early unless you use straps I suppose.

[devil_911]

sweet bro

[drizzt]

31.07.11 - Assistance/conditioning

99.4 today, heading down as expected.

• GHR (sets, reps, weights)
  4 x 10 @ bw
  
• Sleds
  1 x 10 lengths @ 100kg sled (forward)
  1 x 10 lengths @ 100kg sled (reverse)
  1 x 10 lengths @ 100kg sled (alternate forward/reverse)
  
• Reverse Hyper Extensions
  4 x 10 @ 10kg/ps
  
• SSB Good Mornings
  1 x 8 @ bar
  1 x 10 @ 60kg
  3 x 10 @ 65kg
  
• Overhead DB Tri Ext
  4 x 10 @ 70lb

Comments

• Came in today for a bit of extra work, was too good of a day to stay indoors!
  Shoulder, upper and mid-back DOMS were actually fairly bad when I woke up this morning, despite only a pretty moderate workload yesterday. I think the Hack squats fried the delts a bit which was unexpected.
  Tried to keep rest periods down to keep the heart rate going. Sleds were tough going, floor seemed to be stickier than usual (yep, that's why they were tough :shifty:) so if you didn't keep the momentum going you made it twice as hard on yourself. And felt the GMs in a good way in the core which was promising.
  Nothing else of note, good sunday session.

Will repost that vid above later on, as the audioswap I set off almost 24hours ago is still processing, despite it only saying that it may take "a few minutes" :evil:

[drizzt]

Here's the vid:

And wouldn't ya know it, the song I used this time has caused the volume to be muted in my video :roll: Ah well, enjoy the sounds... of silence.

[poos_n_wees]

Ha, the eating is bsaically I gain weight by looking at food...

Story of my life

Here's the vid: ...

Great work on testing day by MT - Those squats and deads looked damn strong 8)

Your box jumping is wicked. Sooo, so close to nailing that 50in !

[drizzt]

Yeah M.T did well, pity his depth wasn't there for 200 but I'm sure he'll be there before too long. Really impressed with his Deads though - just shifted his stance and grip in slightly, and forced him to drag the bar up his shins (rather than about half a foot away as he was doing!) and whammo, 25kg on his best lift just like that :-s

Now time for him and I to plan the next routine, either Dead or Bench focused... not sure just yet :think:

Re: box jumps; I know! So many times I landed on the balls of my feet, just couldn't get that extra cm or so that would put me on the box :x

As an aside, found the big box by itself is 43", the first box I land on in the vid is a 6" box, and the mat on top is 1".

Prior to today, I could only land a 45" jump, so happy to get a 4" PB anyway :nod:

[drizzt]

01.08.11 - Extra stuff

100.4 today, kinda expected to be a little heavier than yesterday, as that was an early morning/pre-food weight, this is end of the day kinda stuff. All good, looking a bit leaner than I was (I think!)

• Squats (sets, reps, weights)
  bar
  1 x 6 @ 60kg
  1 x 4 @ 100kg
  1 x 3 @ 120kg
  1 x 3 @ 140kg (b)
  1 x 2 @ 160kg (b)
  1 x 3 @ 180kg (b/loose wraps)
  
• Bench Press
  bar
  1 x 6 @ 60kg
  1 x 4 @ 80kg
  3 x 5 @ 100kg
  1 x 10 @ 100kg
  
• Incline DB Flyes
  3 x 15 @ 20lb/ps
  
• Standing Band Crunches
  3 x 12 @ green band

Comments

• Was meant to head in tomorrow, but kinda felt like a session today, and had my gear at work so thought I may as well come in and muck around a bit!
  Squats were tough today. Everything on my back felt like it was freggin 220+, just wasn't my day for squatting. Glad I got some out though, and left my sleeves at home so I think there was a slight psychological hitch in doing the warmups without them.
  180 x 3 was horribly tough and it shouldn't be. Maybe I just need to squat more often. Went into the session with the intent of finishing above 200 for a few reps, but that wasn't gonna happen so threw it in here.
  
• For bench, the bar felt heavy too (one of those days) but surprisingly it felt really snappy off the chest. I've moved my grip in (from index on the rings, to ring finger on the rings) as I find that doesn't effect my shoulder as much. I've got decent tri strength, so maybe moving the grip in is a good move overall anyway. Intended to do 5x5 @ 100, but felt good enough to knock out the last 2 sets combined and that final set of 10 wasn't too bad.
  Went to do some pullups, but the shoulder doms are still quite bad so they weren't having a bar of it.

May or may not go in tomorrow for some more conditioning, but I haven't had much time off following the comp so might rest up... although I do have all of next week to do that!

6 days to Vegas...

[drizzt]

03.08.11 - Conditioning

100.4, meh. Diet hasn't changed (except for a slight decrease in carbs/cals) and maybe that's the problem, as activity is way higher than it has been. Ah well it is what it is, I feel a bit leaner that's all that matters really!

Oh and token cardio yesterday (day off) was 1.5hours walking (various gradients).

• Front Squats (sets, reps, weights)
  bar
  1 x 8 @ 60kg
  1 x 4 @ 80kg
  1 x 3 @ 100kg
  1 x 3 @ 110kg
  2 x 5 @ 120kg
  1 x 15 @ 60kg
  
• Chins
  24 reps
  
• Dips
  30 reps
  
• Sleds
  1 x 50 lengths ( :shock: ) @ 75kg sled
  
• Face Pulls superset with Calf Raises
  4 x 18 @ 40kg & 18 @ 60kg

Comments

• Thought I'd throw the front squats in as I hadn't done them for quite a while, want to get back into doing them once or twice a week.
  They felt really good today, probably better than they've ever felt. Never really in danger of failing and kept pretty upright throughout, even on the 120s, the only thing that was tough was the position of the bar felt a bit foreign. But past experience shows that I get used to this after a few sessions. All reps were bounced off the calves. Resisting the use of the belt on these to hopefully strengthen the core, but the knee sleeves will be used.
  
• Chins & Dips - I'm looking at just setting myself a rep target for the day, and knocking them out in however many sets it takes me. Rather than doing 3-4 sets to failure as I usually do. Dips were tough, chest really needs to be warm to do these comfortably for me, and it wasn't.
  
• Sleds were crazy, I could've kept going all night. Initially thought of doing 2 sets of 10 lengths... but after 10 lengths I thought "that felt alright", so went another 10 without stopping. And then OB1 came up and asked if I was doing a timed one, so I said "nope, I'm going for 50"... me and my big mouth! :doh: So I couldn't stop at 20 like I had intended, I had to grind the 50 out. Honestly if I get a day with the time I'd love to see how long I could go for, but was sweating pretty good after 50 lengths which was the goal.

Tried to keep the rest periods down too which caused a decent bit of perspiration, worked well.

Will get back into some more back squatting tomorrow, and try out some (speed?) deadlifts on Saturday which will be my last session for about a week, as I'll be in Vegas - too busy gambling and/or sunning it up/drinking to worry about crushing the tin. So I've gotta make these last couple of sessions count!

[drizzt]

04.08.11 - Squats

100.8. The squat rack beckoned... after Monday's dismal effort, I felt I should redeem myself today.

• Squats (sets, reps, weights)
  bar
  1 x 8 @ 60kg
  1 x 5 @ 100kg
  1 x 5 @ 120kg
  1 x 7 @ 140kg (b)
  1 x 15 @ 150kg (b)
  1 x 30 @ 100kg (b)

Comments

• Intended to come in for some hi-rep squats and had no real plans afterwards. Good, because I was rooted after the squats. Closest I've come to throwing up from them! Just sleeves for all sets, and belt for the last couple.
  Intended to go quite far on the 140s... but then I thought they were easy enough that maybe I should be doing 150 instead (1.5x bodyweight). My Dad used to say to me when I was starting out that a good goal to aim for was to squat 1.5x bodyweight for 10 reps... and this was my first time attempting it!
  So I was heading for 10 but that didn't feel too bad, so pushed to 12 and was going to call it there... but M.T was in my ear pushing me onto the next 3. Grinded the last few out and was happy to rack it. I was SO sore in the glutes after this set, could barely stand.
  But then decided to back off to bodyweight @ 100 and see how many I could get out on this. M.T got 20 reps, so I thought I'd go for 30-40. Brought the stance in a bit and made every rep bounce up off the bottom, felt it pretty intensely in the quads and glutes again. Last 10 were grinders, took decent rests between each rep to gather my breath!
  Had a lay down for about a minute following the set - lower back, glutes, quads, calves and core were all incredibly stuffed, and I also started to feel quite nauseous :pfft: So left the session here satisfied.
  I believe that the state of my strength isn't so much a limiting factor in these hi-rep sessions, but the cardio is. Found when it got above rep 10 on the 150 the breathing was fast and shallow when I REALLY wanted to suck in a big breath to tighten the core up... but I didn't have the fitness there to do so.
  Same with 100, I knocked the first 10-15 out like I was repping the bar, but then the fatigue kicked in and the breathing came hard and heavy.
  In saying that though, towards the end of the sets my legs were pretty well stuffed too. Need to do more of these sessions, it was great!

Happy to end this session with just the one exercise, hoping to end on a big note on Saturday as it'll be my last session for a week (unless I sneak one in at Average Broz in Vegas?)

[drizzt]

06.08.11 - Deads

101.3 today - I swear squats make me gain weight, was up at 102.5 yesterday afternoon - on the home scales which usually put me lighter than I am on the House ones!

• Deads (sets, reps, weights)
  3 x 8 @ 60kg (rack pull warmups)
  1 x 4 @ 70kg
  1 x 3 @ 120kg
  1 x 2 @ 160kg
  13 x 1 @ 200kg (singles - 30-40secs timed rest between reps) (b)
  1 x 5 @ 200kg (b)
  1 x 20 @ 150kg
  
• DB Lateral Raises
  4 x 10 @ 20lb
  
• Pendlay Rows
  3 x 10 @ 60kg
  1 x 12 @ 60kg

Comments

• Thought I'd try and make this last session before Vegas a bit of a killer... succeded.
  All deadlift reps were hook-gripped - apart from the final 5 reps @ 150kg where the grip started to fail, so I switched to alternate for these. Thumbs are pretty raw right now, made it hard to eat the PWO hot chips afterwards! :pfft:
  200s felt pretty sweet, the way we did it was one of us sat there with the stop watch while the other deadlifted. As soon as the weight hit the ground after finishing the rep, the timer started, and you had 45 seconds to start the next rep. Generally we started the rep at around 30seconds, but never longer than 40.
  I got the first 13 singles out, then intended to get the last 2 out in the one set... but got carried away and did 5. Probably could've got more but wanted to back off onto 150 and see what I could get at that.
  Got 20 @ 150, didn't belt up for it, last couple were grinders. Really felt it in the glutes which still had some big DOMS from Thursday's hi-rep squats, made lockout tougher than usual. Reps were touch and go so admittedly there was a bit of bouncing on a few reps (unintentional), but happy with the effort following the big effort on the 200s.
  Did side raises and pendlays to finish off, but we were pretty blasted at this point so we called it a day.

We walked in today expecting the gym to be empty - as most members are away at the Nationals, but it was deadset the busiest I've seen the House! Good times. Made it difficult to get on the platform though as it was in use the whole time we were there, so we just set up alongside it.

Last session before Vegas, see ya'll in a week :salute:

[runveerun]

I was expecting the same, I thought it would be quiet this morning too! Good buzz though when it's busy. Have fun in Vegas, it's a crazy city, it's like a giant fun park for adults! :pfft:

[drizzt]

We were SO surprised when we walked in, almost nowhere to stretch! :pfft:

Yep, excited as! :grin: Catchya when I get back

[Old Bull]

Happy Birthday Bro win us a new gym in V Land

[tinytraps]

Week 3 day 2

Managed to squeeze deads inbetween a job interview and work.

Deads (using olys)

60x5x2

100x3

120x1

140x1x3

150x1x2

160x1

170x1

High pulls to chest height

70x3x4(speed started to slow so cut it there)

[M.T]

Sole spoke to Kathy and she's glad to help us (obviously) so i'll wait for your Vegas ass to get back and we can book in with her. Doesn't look cheap $120 PH not sure if that is @ a PP rate freggin shouldn't be but be worth checking it out. Says she's got atleast 1 BB who is doing the same thing that were looking at.

[Old Bull]

Sole spoke to Kathy and she's glad to help us (obviously) so i'll wait for your Vegas ass to get back and we can book in with her. Doesn't look cheap $120 PH not sure if that is @ a PP rate freggin shouldn't be but be worth checking it out. Says she's got atleast 1 BB who is doing the same thing that were looking at.

report to the principals office when you are in here next MT

[mike27]

hey drizzt!

im guna do a run on smolov squats soon. 13wks from start to fin

how have u found it?

[Big john]

Sole spoke to Kathy and she's glad to help us (obviously) so i'll wait for your Vegas ass to get back and we can book in with her. Doesn't look cheap $120 PH not sure if that is @ a PP rate freggin shouldn't be but be worth checking it out. Says she's got atleast 1 BB who is doing the same thing that were looking at.

report to the principals office when you are in here next MT

M.T uce you in trouble now! :twisted:

[M.T]

Sole spoke to Kathy and she's glad to help us (obviously) so i'll wait for your Vegas ass to get back and we can book in with her. Doesn't look cheap $120 PH not sure if that is @ a PP rate freggin shouldn't be but be worth checking it out. Says she's got atleast 1 BB who is doing the same thing that were looking at.

report to the principals office when you are in here next MT

M.T uce you in trouble now! :twisted:

Gees WA sounds like i'm back in College story of my childhood :nono:

[Old Bull]

report to the principals office when you are in here next MT

M.T uce you in trouble now! :twisted:

Gees WA sounds like i'm back in College story of my childhood :nono:

The Iron College just the Iron College :clap: :clap:

[drizzt]

Happy Birthday Bro win us a new gym in V Land

Chur OB, was lots of touristy stuff done on my bday, good times.

hey drizzt!

im guna do a run on smolov squats soon. 13wks from start to fin

how have u found it?

Hey dude, I loved it, and it suited me really well. But...

You've jumped training styles a few times in the past couple of months, right? I'm gonna be blunt and say: Don't do Smolov.

If you're jumping from template to template now, I can't see you sticking to Smolov, as it'll be a lot harder than anything you've done so far. Nail down something more basic first, and get some consistency in your templates. Honestly, at this stage, the gains you'll get from a more basic program are probably going to match the gains you'd get from Smolov, and you won't have to work as hard. I resorted to Smolov because my squat wouldn't budge... and it was just the kick in the arse my squat needed.

If you're set on Smolov, though, there is a "beginners" version that you can try if that appeals? I can direct you to the template if you want...

You were gaining well on Sheiko, why not go back to that? Either way good luck and I really hope you do well :nod:

As for the diet, M.T, I'll put my trust in what Harry is gonna come back with :nod:

[drizzt]

Ok back into the grind!

16.08.11 - Conditioning/Assistance

101 on the dot today. Second workout back from Vegas, but the first one wasn't really worth logging (this isn't really either tbh :pfft:). Just trying to get back into the swing of things.

• Squats (sets, reps, weights)
  bar
  1 x 5 @ 60kg
  1 x 5 @ 100kg
  3 x 3 @ 120kg
  1 x 5 @ 120kg
  
• Power Cleans
  bar
  5 x 5 @ 50kg
  
• Bench Stretches
  2 x 10 (to neck)
  2 x 10 (to chest)
  2 x 10 (to abs)
  2 x 10 (bradford press)
  
• Floor Press
  bar
  1 x 5 @ 60kg
  5 x 5 @ 80kg
  
• Pulldowns
  1 x 10 @ 45kg
  3 x 8 @ 65kg

Comments

• Nothing really of note today, first squat session back from a break is ALWAYS tough and today was no exception. So I've learnt from past attempts at a first session, that I just need to get a few sets out of the way and my next attempt at squatting should be ok.
  The Beast showed me lots of good shoulder stretches so did those. And did floor press as a change from the bench, felt good.
  Powercleans were fun as a change.
  Made the pulldowns a bit heavier today, as I'm wanting to improve my pitiful back strength (which I believe is holding back my bench).

After talking to OB and The Beast, I've decided to embark on a 5x5 program to take us through to Bledisbro. I think it's around 11ish weeks, so we may muck around with conditioning and hi-rep stuff for the next couple of weeks to time our run right for Bbro.

We'll be doing 3 days of the program per week (3 squats, 2 benches, and 1 dead), with two assistance days alongside it. Hopefully see the numbers for all 3 lifts increase! Excited.

[steak]

Good choice...5x5 is a sound approach bro 8)

[drizzt]

Cheers bro! I figure if you have massive guys like The Beast doing stuff like this, maybe I should just follow in their path :nod:

18.08.11

99.8 today woops. Not sure what is going on there as I've been eating a bit lately, and have been pretty sedentary with this cold weather!

• Front Squats (sets, reps, weights)
  bar
  1 x 5 @ 60kg
  3 x 5 @ 100kg
  
• Incline DB Press
  3 x 10 @ 65lb
  
• Push Press
  3 x 10 @ 60kg

Comments

• Really just a bit of a muck around today. Battling a very chesty cough at the moment, and flu-ish symptoms (although Coldral seems to be dealing with them alright) which made it a struggle to motivate myself for the trek into the House, but knew I had to get something in after a day or two of not leaving home this week, and leading into the new stuff next week.
  Not a lot to write home about, got a painful twinge in my left glute on the 60kg front squats, but not major enough to stop the session. Next week we'll be starting a 2-week conditioning thing before getting into the 5x5 (this will time it better for BBro).
  Not fooling myself - I wouldn't be able to jump back into the heavy stuff right now, so best I lead into it like this. Looking forward to it.