Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Press+ Tuesday: 100 kilo Axle OHP x 7

THE PROGRAM called for six reps, to beat my previous personal best for reps at this weight by one. I was pretty damn happy to grind out two. The seventh took so long I needed to remember to inhale mid-press. This was a great comeback from another disappointing bench press. That 160 came up slow... too slow. Time to write a new program I think.


PRESS+ Tuesday January 30th
stretch
Bench press (paused):
bar x 10
60 kgs x 5
90 kgs x 3
120 kgs x 1
140 kgs x 1
160 kgs x 1
Axle OHP (strict):
30 kgs x 10
60 kgs x 5
80 kgs x 2
100 kgs x 7 PR
Incline press:
85 kgs x 4 x 8 TPR
EZ-bar skull-crushers:
42.5 kgs x 8, 6, 7
super-set w/Triceps pushdowns:
full stack x 12, 10, 8
HS chest press (p/h):
47.5 kgs x 3 x 8
super-set w/HS biceps curls (l&r):
20 kgs x 3 x 10

Saturday, January 27, 2018

Pull+ Saturday: 270 kilo DL x 7

ONE LESS repetition than I had programmed at this weight, but I'm still pretty sure this is a new personal record. I am going to trawl back through my blog to confirm this later, but my previous bests for reps (that I can bring to mind now) are: 250 for pretty much 10, 260 for 8, 280 for 6 and 300 for 5. I don't honestly recall what my previous best was at this weight. It's possible this is equal to what I've done before, in 2015 or '16. If that is the case, what makes this time around better is that I didn't rely on straps.


Brian saw me pull the penultimate single of 230 double-overhand and was curious to know what my heaviest pull was with that grip. I told him that, with a barbell, I'd pulled 230 for a double and 220 for a triple, but I've not tested it beyond that range coz the next jump in weight is usually well more than what would be manageable. I often use deadlift sessions as further opportunities to work grip strength but without sacrificing the purpose of the exercise.


Alec, Kyle, Ryan and Kong were already in the middle of training when I arrived today and while the events (and date) for the first WASM qualifier for 2018 are not yet known, the crew are already ramping up their events work in preparation. I am looking forward to joining them for the full treatment once the Arnolds is done.


PULL PLUS Saturday January 27th
stretch
Deadlifts:
80 kgs x 10
130 kgs x 5
180 kgs x 3
230 kgs x 1 - double o/hand, no belt
270 kgs x 7 PR
Meadows rows (l&r):
45 kgs x 3 x 10
HS seated rows (p/h):
50 kgs x 3 x 10
Seated row machine (u/hand):
full stack x 3 x 10
super-set w/Face-pulls:
plate 11 x 20, 15, 15 PR
DB side raises (p/h):
12.5 kgs x 3 x 10

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

Press+ Tuesday: Ups & Downs

REALLY disappointed with my benching tonight. I was certain - one hundred percent certain - I had three reps of 152.5 kilos. It's just lucky I had Trent to assist with that third rep or I'd have been stapled. I made sure to pause them... that  obviously cost me the rep I would have had if benching touch-and-go.


But the number I hit on my axle overhead press has caused me to review my training log; I'm pretty sure I'm hitting personal records right now, and have been for the last couple of weeks.
!! And I can confirm that my axle OHP (and incline press) is definitely a little stronger. My previous bests were 7 reps of 90 kilos and 6 of 100... I'll need to hit another 7 reps of 100 next week if I want to keep the PRs coming.




PRESS+ Tuesday January 23rd
stretch


Bench press (paused):
bar x 10
60 kgs x 5
95 kgs x 3
130 kgs x 1
152.5 kgs x 2 - FAIL - 3rd assisted


Axle OHP (strict):
30 kgs x 10
55 kgs x 5
75 kgs x 3
95 kgs x 7 PR!


Incline press:
85 kgs x 10, 10, 7 PR!


EZ bar skull-crushers:
42.5 kgs x 8, 7, 5


super-set w/Triceps pushdowns:
full stack till near-failure x 20, 12, 8


DB front raises (p/h):
12.5 kgs x 3 x 10


HS chest press (p/h):
45 kgs x 8, 8, 6 - slow and full ROM


super-set w/HS bicep curls (l&r):
20 kgs x 3 x 10


Cardio- assault bike:
5 minutes @ +50 rpm

Wednesday, January 17, 2018

Press+ Wednesday: Green

IT WAS late when I posted this and I needed sleep. But I did not fail on my money set last night thanks to Rait Sagor. He provided a touch of assistance with the final rep of 145, allowing me to complete the set and not get stapled in the process.

I appreciated the assist... and I know it was a bit of a reach for him. He asked me afterwards if I was sinking my humeral balls into their sockets. "Yep," I said, "that's a short as my arms get."

PRESS+ Wednesday January 17th
stretch

Bench press (paused):
bar x 10
60 kgs x 5
100 kgs x 3
130 kgs x 1
145 kgs x 4 - 5th assisted, this is still a TPR

Axle OHP (strict):
30 kgs x 10
50 kgs x 5
70 kgs x 3
90 kgs x 8 TPR / possible PR?

Incline press:
80 kgs x 3 x 10

EZ bar skull-crushers:
42.5 kgs x 8, 8, 6 PR

super-set w/Triceps pushdowns:
full stack x 3 x 10

HS chest press (p/h):
45 kgs x 10, 8 - right shoulder issue, scrapped 3rd set

super-set w/HS biceps curls (l&r):
20 kgs x 3 x 10

Monday, January 15, 2018

Pull+ Monday: Arnolds Prep Starts Now

TONIGHT I officially began my prep, and I started with a new personal record: 260 kilograms for 9.

Things I did right: all nine reps were sans straps, all were fully locked out with no hitching/ramping, none was stiff-legged... though my dominant back began to take over on the last few.

Things I did wrong: I forgot my socks, I allowed the bar to roll too far out in front of me on the third rep, which threw my balance off and I had to wrench it back to my thighs mid-lift. And there was next to zero bar control on descent. I also had to reset the spin locks at about the sixth repetition, or risk plates sliding off the bar before I was done. This has happened to me too often, I couldn't afford to let it screw with me. The plates all stayed on but it cost me time.

This was a new personal record for total reps in one set at that weight. And while I really, really didn't want to try, I reckon I could have pulled a tenth one after a bunch more frantic breaths. I am happy with this. It's been weighing on my mind (pardon the pun) for weeks now. I couldn't afford to come in to this session still recovering from the lower back injury I sustained a fortnight ago. I couldn't afford to be undernourished from not eating enough during the day, or pre-fatigued from lack of sleep. Sleep especially has been an issue of late, as the below chart demonstrates.
Most nights I register less than two hours sleep.
 PULL+ Monday January 15th
stretch

Deadlifts:
80 kgs x 8
130 kgs x 5
180 kgs x 3
230 kgs x 1
260 kgs x 9 PR

Meadows rows (l&r):
45 kgs x 3 x 10

HS rows (p/h):
50 kgs x 3 x 10

Seated rows:
full stack x 3 x 10

Face-pulls:
plate 11 x 3 x 20 PR

super-set w/DB side raises (p/h):
12.5 kgs x 3 x 10

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Press+ Wednesday: Bodyweight Benching

IT'S been a few weeks since I was game enough to jump on the scale, so going in to tonight's session I didn't actually know for certain what my body weight was. This is just the number I settled on when competing in December (or close enough) and, sure enough, when I got home after training and weighed myself, the Fitbit scale read 137.7 kilograms, at just under 30% body fat.


According to these measurements, I have lost nothing in the last month. Pretty happy about this.


PRESS+ Wednesday January 10th
stretch


Bench press (paused):
bar x 10
60 kgs x 5
100 kgs x 2
120 kgs x 1
137.5 kgs x 5 - failed 6th rep... but it was close...  TPR?


Axle OHP (strict):
35 kgs x 10
65 kgs x 4
85 kgs x 9 - failed 10 rep... but it was also close... also TPR?


Incline press:
70 kgs x 4 x 10


Ez bar skull-crushers:
40 kgs x 3 x 8


super-set w/Triceps pushdowns:
full stack x 3 x 10


DB front raises (p/h):
10 kgs x 3 x 10


HS chest press (p/h):
42.5 kgs x 3 x 8


super-set w/HS bicep curls (l&r):
20 kgs x 3 x 10

Wednesday, January 3, 2018

Press+ Wednesday: Poking the Bear

SO THAT lower back complaint I've been nursing is still with me. I may have exacerbated it with my training this week, so will be laying off deadlifts for a little while longer. I thought I would be able to press without any issue, but after the axle overhead presses I knew for certain I had a lumbar strain. It's a very familiar pain. I did my incline presses after this but the issue worsened so I scrapped the rest of the routine. More treatment needed, and I will be sorting it in the coming days. The upside is I think I hit some technical personal records today, in spite of this. But I can't afford to keep temping fate. I will be postponing all training for a week or so.


PRESS+ Wednesday January 3rd
stretch


Bench press (paused):
bar x 10
60 kgs x 5
100 kgs x 2
115 kgs x 1
130 kgs x 7 TPR?


Axle OHP (strict):
30 kgs x 10
60 kgs x 10
80 kgs x 9 TPR?


Incline press:
70 kgs x 4 x 10

Tuesday, January 2, 2018

Squat Monday: 1st January 2018

Starting the new year right.

Like most people, I've had several days of boozy celebration which I now need to offset with a vigorous return to training. I began with some cambered bar squats. Experienced lifters know that squatting is a valuable exercise regardless of your sport. While I will not be competing in any three lift meets for the foreseeable future, a stronger squat means a stronger deadlift, stone pick, axle clean... in fact it directly or indirectly benefits virtually every exercise or event requiring lower body strength. So dropping them from my routine would be a bad idea. Instead I squeeze into a rack and use my old mate, the cambered bar, to get the job done.

SQUAT Monday 1st January 2018
stretch & foam roll

Squats w/cambered bar:
50 kgs x 10
90 kgs x 6
130 kgs x 4
170 kgs x 10 no belt TPR?

Hamstring curls:
40 kgs x 10
50 kgs x 3 x 10

HS calf raises:
40 kgs x 4 x 15

Cardio:
bike 5 mins @ +50 rpm