Quick Info:

 25 years old, compete USAPL 198 raw

Best Gym Lifts: 325-475-560

Best Meet Lifts: 314-480-530 

Old Log:

http://rts.activeboard.com/index.spark?aBID=121829&p=3&topicID=18314779&page=17 

7/29/2009

Pause Bench.
4 warm-up sets.
280 x 3 @ 8
280 x 3 @ 8
280 x 3 @ 8
280 x 3 @ 8+
280 x 3 @ 8+
280 x 5 @ 9

Incline Bench.
1 warm-up set.
185 x 3
205 x 3
230 x 7 (5lb PR)

Dips.
bw x 10
bw+25 x 10
bw+50 x 10
bw+75 x 9

Chin ups.
bw x 13 x 3

Back Raise.
bw x 15 x 3

Decline Sit Ups.
bw+20 x 12,10,8


Felt really good benching today, and had a fair amount left in the tank on flat and incline benching. Got my camera, so as soon as the memory card comes in, I should be able to take videos regularly. Soon I will be an online sensation... or just another puss who posts too many videos.

8/1/2009

Jerk.
2 warm-up sets.
165 x 5
190 x 3
215 x 9 (5lb & 1 rep PR)

Push Press.
125 x 10 x 5

Chin ups.
bw x 10 x 4

Back Raise.
bw x 10 x 3

Decline sit ups.
bw x 11,10,9


So damn close to getting 10 reps. Would have been a huge PR, but I guess I'll have to settle for a medium PR. Camera works great. Will have videos regularly. MUST. GET. STRONGER.

8/3/2009

Squat (no belt).
4 warm-up sets.
340 x 3 @ 7+
365 x 3 @ 8
390 x 4 @ 9 (5lb PR)
365 x 3 @ 8

Front Squat (no belt).
180 x 5
205 x 5
230 x 10 (5lb PR)

Back Raise.
bw x 10
bw+25 x 10 x 2

Decline Sit Ups.
bw+25 x 10 x 3


Well, by the look of the video and the way I felt, my form wasn't as bad as I anticipated. It definitely felt better than last week anyways, though there is still much room for improvement. Wade was doing shrugs with about 1,000 lbs when I got there. Should have took a video of that instead.

8/5/2009

Pause Bench.
3 warm-up sets.
240 x 4 @ 7
260 x 4 @ 7+
280 x 6 @ 8+ (5lb PR)
275 x 4 @ 8+
275 x 4 @ 8+

Incline Bench.
1 warm-up set.
190 x 5
215 x 3
240 x 6 (5lb PR)

Dips.
bw x 20 x 4

Chin ups.
bw x 10 x 4

Back Raise.
bw x 15,12,12

Decline Sit Ups.
bw+25 x 10,7,7


Not a bad day. It was enlightening to say the least. Clearly, after watching the video, I need to focus on longer, more controlled pauses. On the plus side, the reps looked and felt easy, and I hit 2 PRs. I also got some video of Mike doing some grip work, which means fat bar deadlift with 500lbs till grip failure. Hopefully, soon I too will be able to casually pull 500lbs just to get in some extra work.

8/7/2009

Deadlift (no belt).
4 warm-up sets.
380 x 4
405 x 4
430 x 5
405 x 4
405 x 4

RDL (no belt).
230 x 5
265 x 5
300 x 10

Back Raise.
bw x 10 x 3

Decline Sit Up.
bw+20 x 10 x 3


Top set of deadlifts wasn't as bad as I expected form-wise. I can see some thoracic rounding, but the position didn't change during the lift, so I'm not too worried. Plus, for the most part, my low-back stayed tight and in a neutral position. Any form advice is appreciated.

Thanks a bunch. Compared to everyone else on here though I have a loooooong way to go!

Squats felt OK today. I forgot to point my toes out and widen my stance right up until my top set with 365, at which point I thought it would be a good idea to make the change. I really focused on pushing my knees out, which kept my knees from coming in, but in doing so, it slowed my speed down out of the hole. I guess this makes sense. If you're pushing out instead of up, you're going to lose some power. I need to find another way of transferring maximum force down and not out while keeping my knees from coming in (which also makes me lose force). Any thoughts are appreciated. 

8/12/2009

Pause Bench.
3 warm-up sets.
245 x 4
260 x 4
275 x 5
260 x 4
260 x 4

Incline Bench.
1 warm-up set.
165 x 5
190 x 5
215 x 10 (ties PR)

Dips.
bwx10
bw+25 x 10
bw+50 x 10
bw+75 x 10

Chins.
bw x 10
bw+50 x 9
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3Kj_aD_SSU&feature=player_profilepage

Back Raise.
bw x 10 x 3

Decline Sit Ups.
bw+20 x 10 x 3


The pause on the benching was much improved from last week. It's actually tough trying not to go balls out, but I've actually got a written plan now to follow for the next year, and I think I finally understand the concept of balancing each lift so as to make constant progress on each. What a novel concept.

8/13/2009

Deadlift (no belt).
4 warm-up sets.
405 x 3
430 x 3
455 x 4 (ties PR)
430 x 3
430 x 3

RDL (no belt).
245 x 3
280 x 3
315 x 8 (ties PR)

Back Raise.
bw x 10 x 3

Decline Sit Ups.
bw+20 x 10 x 3


Felt a bit under-rested and it showed today. Form was kinda bad, but that's what I get for lifting a day early. On the bright side, I still plowed through the workout, and now I get to enjoy a day at the beach and 2 days off from lifting.

8/16/2009

Jerk.
2 warm-up sets.
170 x 3
190 x 3
210 x 10 (5lb PR)

Push Press.
125 x 10 x 5

Chin ups.
bw x 21

Back Raise.
bw x 10 x 3

Decline sit-ups.
bw+25 x 10 x 3


Wade was benching out of the rack today, so I opted to start my sets from the floor. I think I underestimated the extra energy involved in just one clean, but I pushed through it and still hit 10 reps. Mike competed in a strongman meet yesterday and took 3rd in the heavys. This is pretty good considering he made a few rookie mistakes, and the guy who won is ranked 2nd in the nation in heavyweight amateur strongman, and the guy who took 2nd is in the top 10.

8/17/2009

Squat (no belt).
4 warm-up sets.
345 x 3
365 x 3
390 x 4 (ties PR)
365 x 3
365 x 3

Front Squat (no belt).
190 x 3
215 x 3
245 x 8 (5lb PR)

Back Raise.
bw x 10 x 3

Decline Sit-ups.
bw+25 x 10 x 3


Felt OK squatting today, but I could tell I was a little beat from the overhead work yesterday. Once I get it lined up with the rest of my training though I should be good to go. I took video from the back today and it really shows how much my knees come in. Something I really need to fix.

8/19/2009

Pause Bench.
4 warm-up sets.
260 x 3
275 x 3
295 x 4 (5lb PR)
275 x 3
275 x 3

Incline Bench.
1 warm-up set.
175 x 3
200 x 3
225 x 8 (1 rep PR)

Dips.
bw x 15 x 5

Chins.
bw x 10 x 5

Back Raise.
bw x 10 x 3

Decline sit ups.
bw+25 x 10 x 3


Bench wasn't as easy as I hoped it would be. For some reason I thought 295 should move as easily as 275. Still, I can't be too mad about hitting a solid PR with some left in the tank. Next week will be the real test.

8/22/2009

Deadlift (no belt).
4 warm-up sets.
430 x 2
455 x 2
480 x 3 (ties PR)
455 x 2
455 x 2

RDL (no belt).
265 x 5
300 x 3
335 x 6

Back Raise.
bw x 10 x 3

Decline Sit ups.
bw+25 x 10 x 3


Spent the last 2 days in Detroit helping someone move. Took my first trip to the mongolian barbecue and ate a feast. Also had my first taste of natural, unpasteurized milk. It was so good I ended up drinking a gallon in a day. The only downside to the trip was sleeping on the floor, and putting together 800 pieces of IKEA furniture. Hardest set of the month is done. Next week I'll belt up and hit an easy single and wrap up the first cycle of my new training plan.

8/23/2009

Jerk.
2 warm-up sets.
165 x 3
190 x 3
215 x 10 (5lb PR)

Push Press.
125 x 10 x 5

Chins.
bw x 20

Back Raise.
bw x 10 x 3

Decline sit ups.
bw+25 x 10 x 3


Jerks were tough after pulling yesterday, but in the end, it didn't matter. I didn't get to 225 like I wanted, but I did lose a month to a busted back, and I did manage to put 30lbs on my 10 rep max in 5 months. I guess 215x10 while weighing 200lbs isn't all that bad.

Then again, it isn't all that good either:

8/25/2009

Squat (no belt).
4 warm-up sets.
365 x 2
390 x 2
410 x 3 (5lb PR)
390 x 2
390 x 2

Front Squat (no belt).
205 x 5
230 x 3
255 x 6 (5lb PR)

Back Raise.
bw x 10 x 3

Decline Sit Ups.
bw+25 x 10 x 3


Any day where you set two squat PRs is a good day in my book. Form was kinda shitty as my knees came in for the thousandth time, but I knew this set was gonna be tough, so I'm not disappointed. One thing I noticed is that even with the modest weight I'm using, that bar whips like a bitch. Still, it's an old York bar, and probably as close to a Q-bar as I'm gonna get. Makes me wonder how guys handle 900+ lbs with a Q-bar bouncing like a piece of bamboo on their back.

8/27/2009

Pause Bench.
4 warm-up sets.
275 x 2
295 x 2
310 x 3 (10lb PR)
295 x 2
295 x 2

Incline Bench.
1 warm-up set.
190 x 5
215 x 3
240 x 6 (ties PR)

Dips.
bw x 15,20,20

Chins.
bw x 10,10,15

Back Raise.
bw x 10 x 3

Decline Sit Ups.
bw+25 x 10 x 3


I thought about the top set of bench all day at work. I knew it was going to be a bitch to hit a 10lb PR. The pause on the first rep was a little SPF style (pretty much non-existent) but I think that was just from being so fired up for the set. At any rate, getting past this workout was a huge weight off my shoulders, as the hardest week of the month is now done, and done successfully. Next week it's some easy singles and a much needed reduction in volume.

*Guest spot by the phantom bencher, Dursecat. 

8/29/2009

Deadlift.
3 warm-up sets.
405 x 1
455 x 1
495 x 1
530 x 1
560 x 1 (5lb PR)

RDL.
280 x 3
315 x 2
350 x 1
370 x 1

Back Raise.
bw x 10 x 3

Decline Sit ups.
bw+25 x 10 x 3


Felt great. Hit a PR. Did not do what I had originally had planned. All morning I thought about the possibility of hitting 560 today. All my indicators were up, and I felt stronger than I ever have before. When my first warm-up set felt like an empty bar, I knew it was on. Looking at what I had originally planned, it made no sense. Why make 5% jumps on a test and/or deload week. Either get in an hit an easy single, or get in and hit a big lift. I opted for the big lift. This will definitely change how I approach the 4th week from now on. I learn more in the gym than anywhere else. Not strong yet, but I'm getting closer.