#drizzt

[Phedder]

Some very solid work going on in here, think you're allowed a bit of an off day mate. Great stuff soldiering on through the deadlifts and making all the reps, even more impressive with hook grip :shock:

[drizzt]

Some very solid work going on in here, think you're allowed a bit of an off day mate. Great stuff soldiering on through the deadlifts and making all the reps, even more impressive with hook grip :shock:

Thanks bro, yeah the body is feeling pretty beat up at the moment. All good, deload next week, just one more toughy to get through...

And yeah the hook is pleasing! Starting to get some nice calluses forming on the thumbs, so you know it's good for ya 8)

[OnlyHuman]

Also have a niggle somewhere in the rib area below the shoulder blades (on the opposite side to my usually sore shoulder). Can feel it badly when there is a loaded bar on the back, compressing it. Doc reckons I'm getting sick, I just think I'm getting old and broken :pfft:

I had this today... Started kicking up a storm on the warm ups :? after a few sets I decided to roll on my lacrose ball ... Helped immensely. Try it if you have a tennis ball laying around!

[drizzt]

Yeah I usually roll out the shoulders/upper back when I've got a ball handy, good to hear it helps though as this is a fairly recent niggle so will attack it with the ball. Cheers 8)

[tinytraps]

Hope the shoulder is just a niggle and heals up quick! Also Ive probably missed this but why did you and MT switch to hook grip? Show offs

[drizzt]

Hope the shoulder is just a niggle and heals up quick! Also Ive probably missed this but why did you and MT switch to hook grip? Show offs

Yeah definitely thinking one side is a niggle (kinda lower than the shoulder though, more rib/lat), but the other is a recurrence of one that first flared up during Smolov. Hasn't hurt since, but was back with a vengeance today :x

Hah, as for the hook, it's a wee bit of bicep protection after seeing a few videos of them popping with alternate grip, as well as not being as rough on my shoulder pain which does seem to flare up with alternate.

But also just because I'm not actually finding it that hard compared to alternate Just tender thumbs after the fact, but it gets easier every session. I figure alternate doesn't help my efforts to improve hip alignment either, so really, hook ticks all of the boxes!

And I'm always impressed when I see someone hook gripping, so I'm keen to tag along on that boat :pfft:

[drizzt]

Aaaand here are our slightly embarrassing deads from yesterday :pfft:

[M.T]

:oops:

[tinytraps]

Bro one thing I just noticed, when you pull your arms are quite bent? Ive always thought locking the arms dead tight would strengthen just another link in the chain. But I guess if your going strong the way you are then keep with it!

[drizzt]

Bro one thing I just noticed, when you pull your arms are quite bent? Ive always thought locking the arms dead tight would strengthen just another link in the chain. But I guess if your going strong the way you are then keep with it!

I've kinda thought about that before when I've seen footage of me lift, but I think it may just be an illusion? But if it is actually happening (I'm assuming you mean halfway up-ish?), I certainly can't feel it, so not sure I can correct it anyway!

If you're meaning off the floor/beginning of the lift, I kinda do it on purpose! I know it's opposite to what most people say - bicep tear waiting to happen etc - but that's another advantage of the hook helping to mitigate that risk. Just to me, tension on the bar before lifting feels like I've begun the lift, I've tried to do it for the sake of my biceps, but it feels unnatural to me and results in a poorer pull (IMO). I've always been taught in sports to go through things - rugby you imagine kicking through the ball (not at it), golf hit through the ball, boxing hit beyond the bag/guy - and I feel like beginning that pull before tension applies is the same sort of idea. This means a bit of a bend at the start usually due to no tension, but it's a risk I'm taking because it's what is comfortable to me since I started deadlifting.

Maybe I'm just crazy, and it'll take a tear to make me change my ways :pfft: But it seems to work ok for me right now, so I'm cool going with how it is :nod:

Big part of my dead that I need work on is the lockout. Strength off the floor is pretty good, grip is ok (as long as the calluses behave)... hips/lockout is piss weak.

[tinytraps]

Thats a perfect explanation to the off the floor bit never had it explained that way!

On some of the heavier ones it looks like your trying to upright row the weight to get the hips through but again maybe cos of the hook gripping its just an illusion? :think:

[drizzt]

01.10.11 - 5 x 5 W4/D3

103 flat today pre PWO feed, weighed in after at 103.8 oooo gettin close to the limit heh.

• Squats (sets, reps, weights)
  Warmups
  bar
  1 x 8 @ 60kg
  1 x 6 @ 100kg
  1 x 3 @ 120kg
  1 x 2 @ 140kg
  Working
  1 x 5 @ 165kg (b)
  1 x 5 @ 175kg (b/kw)
  1 x 5 @ 190kg (b/kw)
  1 x 5 @ 200kg (b/kw)
  1 x 5 @ 215kg (b/kw)(+10kg 5rep PB)
  
• Bench
  Warmups
  1 x 8 @ 60kg
  1 x 5 @ 80kg
  1 x 2 @ 100kg
  Working
  1 x 5 @ 115kg (elbow bitched out after this set and wouldn't let me bench :x )
  
• Power Cleans
  ? x ? @ 40kg
  
• Turkish Get-ups
  3 x 5/ps @ 20lb DB

Comments

• Sooo pretty good session in the end, although it begun poorly.
  Just wasn't feeling any of the warmups, it was all a grind. Back was stiff, the "compression" niggle below my shoulder blade really hurt today, and the left shoulder worsened with every set. To top it off, I just wasn't in the mood!
  Soldiered on, but was forced to wrap for the 175s which I would've liked to have tried raw if I wasn't feeling so crap. These were tough so I didn't hold much hope for the remaining sets.
  Switched to the titaniums for the 190s, wee bit better but still tough. 200 was again, a slight improvement, but enough of a grind that I felt 215 was out of reach.
  Walked into the final set with the intention of hitting 215 x 5 if I could, but if I failed early I was willing to take it out to a couple of sets of 3. I almost talked myself out of it, going by how the previous sets felt I really didn't believe 5 reps were possible, and I told everyone to prepare to catch the bar on rep 3 or 4 :pfft:
  However as soon as I stood in front of the bar, I kinda knew I had it in the bag. Just got into my squat mode, zoned out the niggles and everything around me, just felt like me and the bar (I wish I could do this every time!). The first few reps were actually really easy, but the last 2 when I started to fatigue and my concentration begun to waver... they were toughies. After all of that though, it was probably the best looking set of the day for me.
  Really really stoked with the last set, even though I was less than happy with everything before it. Highest set of 5 I've ever done (eclipsing last week's 205), and arguably the hardest week of the program completed. Depth looked ok on film but the camera was a wee way back so a little hard to be certain. Lets just say it's there or thereabouts.
  
• Bench sucked! Well, actually it felt really good to begin with, felt like 60 was going to fly out of my hands so I had high hopes for the top sets (5 x 5 @ 115kg). However on the 100 warmups, my shoulder began to pack it in.
  Knowing I had a spotter, I pushed it maybe a bit further than I should've. Got the first set out ok without a lot of niggle, but tried to start the second set, and as the bar was descending toward my chest, about 4-5cm out the left elbow (stemming from the shoulder injury) said "f*ck it, I'm out!" and actually caused me to lose control of it onto my chest, had to be spotted back out of it.
  Racked it, thought I'd give it another crack with a different grip, same deal, elbow gave up on me just before touching the chest.
  Quite disappointed here, as bench has been feeling good, but to have the shoulder pack it in like this is just pure frustration for me. The injury has never caused me to fail before (I've always pulled out before getting to that point) so this was probably the worst it's ever been. Need to get this right before Bbro or it will really stunt my total back from where I want it to be.
  
• Powercleans were pretty good today, we had one of the Oly lifters give us a few tips, and I ended up widening my grip, and pulling much slower off the floor. She said that pulling it fast like I do only serves to make my movement really erratic. So she reckons I should be pulling it much more smoothly to get the hang of it. I think a big thing I've got to do is look at it as it's own lift, rather than a deadlift with a bit of a jump.
  Also a few other things, like instead of jumping forward, jump with the feet landing outward - gets the bar moving upward instead of forward and up (makes so much sense in hindsight! :doh:). Drop the shoulders back a lot more (which I'm really trying to do but finding it hard because my back/shoulders are so fatigued) and poke the chest out is another one.
  I'm positive about where these are going, so happy to stay in the 40s until I've mastered it. I'll stick here this time!
  
• Turks were easy as, the trouble is the program is calling for quite light weights all through, so I might start upping them for a bit of a challenge. Today was meant to be 5 x 5lb/15lb/20lb, but I just did 20lb for each set.

Got mine and M.T's final squat sets on vid, just uploading them now.

[drizzt]

On some of the heavier ones it looks like your trying to upright row the weight to get the hips through but again maybe cos of the hook gripping its just an illusion? :think:

Yeah definitely see what you mean, I'll think about it next time I deadlift but you could very well be right. I have really intensely sore upper back/traps today, which kinda indicates there is a bit of shrugging/rowing going on I guess? :nod: Definitely keen to make things more efficient though.

Man, always feels like I'm building all of my lifts up from scratch :x

[drizzt]

Aaaand here's the vid. Great to post a better one after our very poor Deads from the other day 8) :

[red machine]

great work boys, killin it, lovin the vids, the good day, the tough days and big grinds, bloody good to see!!

[M.T]

Oresum Squats yesterday bro! :clap:

[Viking Power]

very strong squats guys, great to see keep smashing it. 8) mint.

Drizzt good work bro.

[drizzt]

Cheers guys, after the excitement of nailing that set has died down... I've kinda realised that it's good, but it's kinda at the bottom rung of where I need to be currently. If I'm aiming for 260 at the BBro, I should be repping 230-240.

So onwards an upwards from here eh 8)

03.10.11 - 5 x 5 W5/D1 (bench)

Not sure of exact weight today, but home scales (which are a little heavier than the House ones) showed me as 104 flat woooah. Could be related to the loaf of bread-worth of sandwiches I had yesterday while watching Rugby/League :shifty: :pfft:

Worked out today in the parent's basement as they've got a nice little setup there that my Old man and younger bro use. Just too wet to make the trek into the House today (had the day off) without a car.

We shall name this gym Intellectual Barbell, for my bro who goes to Uni, and the old man is a uni graduate also - gotta have some sort of smarts to work out there apparently! :grin:

• Bench (sets, reps, weights)
  Warmups
  bar
  1 x 10 @ 60kg
  Working
  1 x 3 @ 100kg
  1 x 3 @ 115kg
  1 x 3 @ 125kg

Comments

• That was it, short and sharp. There is enough to do a nice little assistance workout there too, but happy to just get bench out as the body is still quite sore from freggin Deadlifts on Thursday :shock: Little bit of elbow/shoulder trouble but nothing serious, the weights themselves went up ok in the end.
  This is the "deload" week so exactly the same weights as last week, just 3 x 3 for everything instead of 5 x 5, and the Thursday squats are now dropped from the program which will hopefully help Deads - and possibly take a little stress out of my shoulder/elbow issues :pray:
  Everything from here out is triples or 3 x 3. Hit 3 x 3 at one weight for squats on Tuesdays, and ramp up to a week-high triple on Saturdays (finishing on 230, *gulp*). Opposite for Bench, and Deads are in the middle with a 3 x 3.
  Because the end of the program is still a few weeks out from the BBro, we're looking at possibly having a Skills week after we're done, followed by a week of 2 x 2 or 3s for a week or two (depends how long we've got) and finishing with a deload week leading up to the comp.

[drizzt]

Thought I'd share my secret for putting on the pounds :pfft: My sandwiches!

You'll need:

Bread (prefer Mackenzies, big slices! - or better yet, unsliced loaves)

Butter (spreadable preferably)

Avocado (soft)

Fruit Chutney (or chutney of your choice)

Lettuce (I prefer butter lettuce, anything will do)

Cucumber (peeled)

Shaved Ham

Sliced Turkey Breast (or chicken breast, whatever fills this bit)

Aioli sauce (or mayo)

Cheese (I prefer mainland light stuff, not because it's light, just tastes nice)

First, grab a couple of slices of bread, and butter em up:

Then, cover one slice in the fruit chutney, and the other in avocado:

Wash/dry a couple of leaves of lettuce, tack em on to one side of the bread:

Add a couple of slices of ham on top of the lettuce:

Slice off some cucumber, spread it on top like so:

Chuck a slice (or two if you're feeling rich) of turkey breast on top:

Throw a few thick slices of cheese on:

Aaaand finish her off with a couple dabs of aioli sauce:

Done!

I went through a full (Mackenzies) loaf of these yesterday watching the league and rugby... :shifty: Prrroooobably why I weighed in quite heavy this morning :pfft:

[bar-belle]

Because the end of the program is still a few weeks out from the BBro, we're looking at possibly having a Skills week after we're done, followed by a week of 2 x 2 or 3s for a week or two (depends how long we've got) and finishing with a deload week leading up to the comp.

Sounds like a good plan...will be expecting lots of pics and vid from on comp day Drizzt :grin:

Have just seen your pics of the mammoth sandwich... :shock: that'll put your bench press up :nod:

[Big john]

Miring so hard at the samo bro! toooo much!

[drizzt]

Thanks guys, I've got a feeling these sandwiches could very well push me into the 120s :shifty:

[drizzt]

04.10.11 - 5 x 5 W5/D1

103.9 today :shock: Goddamned sandwiches! All good, still got a kilo to work with :pfft:

• Squats (sets, reps, weights)
  Warmups
  bar
  1 x 8 @ 60kg
  1 x 6 @ 100kg
  1 x 4 @ 120kg
  1 x 3 @ 140kg
  1 x 2 @ 160kg
  1 x 2 @ 180kg (b)
  Working
  3 x 3 @ 200kg (b/w)
  
• Powercleans
  Lots x 3 @ 40kg
  
• Dips
  1 x 6 @ bw (warmups)
  1 x 3 @ +10kg
  1 x 3 @ +25kg
  1 x 3 @ +35kg

Comments

• Squats, easy as. Really wanted to not wrap for the 200s, but indications from the warmups (180s in particular) were that 3 wrapless reps @ 200 probably wasn't there today. So I loosely wrapped for the first set which was ok, did a really tight wrap for the 2nd set (got the sub-cross + 4 wraps around it with my new THPs :shock:) which was piss easy, and loose again for the 3rd which was sweet.
  
• Powercleans we were just doing triples at 40kg. Did lots. Recorded a few sets, will post up if I get a chance. At the moment, we're really concentrating on nailing the beginning of our lift before moving onto the subsequent facets of it, so that's mainly what we worked on today - shoulders back, chest out, sitting back, elbows outward, wider grip, slightly wider stance, and a slow pull off the floor :shock: And that's just the beginning of it! Coming along nicely I think though. Slowly, but nicely.
  
• Dips were good, triples here were easy as.

Obviously no bench as that was done yesterday.

Awesome to have a "deload" session, feel ready to go again already! Assistance day tomorrow.

[OnlyHuman]

Dude you need to stop posting pictures of your AWESOME sandwiches. I'm working on getting into 74s for the comp and just by looking at them I gained weight! :pfft: They look delicious :grin: :clap:

[drizzt]

Ha just thought I'd share. Love to make them because you get charged a mint to get something similar in a cafe.

Went through 2 loaves of that Mackenzies bread since Sunday... all made as the above :shifty: