New tricks-ME Lower

3-25-11 (Friday)
Trained with M4 aka "The Gear 'Ho"
Warm-up (incl. 100 Pull-Aparts, 30 Back raises and 30 Overhead crunches-light)

a. Reverse band squat (double looped light bands around top of rack) 315x4 or 5 x3 sets (Started this high because while 225 would hold the bar in the catches, more weight was needed to be able to squat it. 315 felt about like nothing in the bottom of the squat) 365x3, 405x3, 455x3, 495x1 added belt, 545x1 added Metal Squatter w/ straps down, 585x1, 605x1, 495x3 x2 sets (78% based on a 635 PM or percieved max)

b1. GHR 3x8 w/ monster mini band

b2. Straight leg sit-up 3x15+ (body/ 25/ 25)

c1. Reverse hyperextension 90x10, 180x10, 270x10, 360x10

c2. TKE's 2x15-20

Going back to a ME/ DE type template. The reverse band squats were completely new to M4 and I. They were a lot of fun however. Stay tuned. More stupidity to follow!

Stay strong,

Ed T.

Upper 3/23/11 and Jumps

Warm-up incl. 20 GHRs and 100 Pull-Aparts
a1. Bench 215x5, 250x5, 280x5
a2. Lat pulldowns-rotator bar 2x12/ 110, 130 H-bar 2x12/ 150, 160 DD-handle 2x12/ 165, 175

b1. Blast Strap push-ups w/ 45 pounds 35 reps 3 sets
b2. Shoulder series 2x Front plate raises x12 reps then Side raise seated x12 then Seated clean and press x12

3/24/11
Warm-up (foam roll, movement drills, etcetera)
Box jumps 2x3 reps 19-inch box, 2x3 25-inch box, 1x3 26-inch box, 1x3 29-inch box, 1x3 30-inch box

Quote of the day; "He once killed a six-pack just to watch it die."

Stay strong,
Ed T.

The Week In Review

Thursday 3-17-11
Warm-up
Squat 310x3, 355x3, 400x1x6 sets

Then I was in Columbus for the Westside Barbell Seminar for a few days (outstanding time by the way!) and back in the gym today (Monday).

Warm-up
Deadlifts-sumo-wore briefs (and my hips thank me) 305x5, 355x5, 400x5
GHR 30 reps
Walking DB Lunges 3x10/side 30-pounds
Back Raises 50 reps w/ monster mini band
Straight leg sit-ups 2x25 and Overhead crunches 2x15/ 80, 85, 90x20

In the science department; I was looking over the number of lifts I average in a month at various percentages and came up with some interesting numbers. Total lifts per month over 65% average approximately 164. Of those, lifts in the 70% to 89% range number approximately 96. Lifts 90% and greater average 48 (!) per month. That number is a bit on the high side as usually lifts over 90% should not comprise much more than 10% of total lifts. With that in mind I decided to cut back my singles over 90% to approximately 4 per session or approximately 32 per month (a reduction of almost 30%), but still a little on the high side.

Stay strong,

Ed T.

5-3-1 Upper/Gym news

3/16/2011
Warm-up
Benchpress 230x3, 265x3, 295x1x3, added Slingshot 325x1, 345x1
Blast Strap push-ups 30 reps w/ 2 chains on back and feet up
Fat man pull-ups (average band) w/45-pounds 3x8 2x8 no weight
DB press-palms in 3x10 and Side raises 3x10 and Rear delt raises 3x10 "tri-set" with
Pull-aparts w/ monster mini band 2x failure 61 reps total

And in the "Holy Cow!" department...Doug, Keith and Josh, the strongman competitors, apparently got into a fat bar press contest in the gym last night with Josh coming out on top with a 380-pound press! Doug's old "record" was 360. So the race to 400 is on!

Stay strong,
Ed T.

3/13 and 3/14 2011

3/13/2011
a1. Press work up to 110x3, 130x3, 145x3
a2. CSR-pronate grip work up to 155x12x3

b1. Press 5x10/75-pounds
b2. WG SA Lat Pulldowns work up to 100x12x2

c1. Dips 5x10/35
c2. Lat/shoulder stretches
d. Push-ups 50
e. DB flys 2x20

*Yes I did DB flys. The thinking behind it is to do a little actual chest work since I am not using a bench shirt in my training. And a strong chest is a good idea in that aspect. (Let the jokes begin.)  I am repeating the weights I used in my last 5-3-1 cycle in the squat and bench (mostly due to the inconsistency I mentioned in the previous post). The press is progressing and in the deadlift I am switching to sumo style for a few cycles. I am also doing the "5-3-1" as 3x3, 3x5, 5/3/1, deload. I get a little rest every other week.

I wanted to mention that I am still doing 100 pull-aparts and 20 GHRs per day and I believe that is halping to make my shoulders feel better. Try it. In my warm-ups I am working a  lot on hip mobility and as a result I feel more confident in my squats and even getting down to pull. My movement in general has improved.

3/14/2011

a. Deadlifts-sumo worked up to 315x1 and donned my Metal Squatter, straps down (for a little hip support. I decided it was either that or my briefs, whichever my fat butt fit into better!) then went 365x1, 405x1, 470x1 (pr), 500x1 (pr). Then did 350x3, 375x3

b1. GHR 30 reps raised 1 pin

b2. Walking DB lunges 3x10/20,25,30

c1. Back raises w/monster mini band 4x10

c2. Lying leg lift w/ankle weights 2x30

c3. Landmine 25x10/side x2

My previous best pull sumo, was 465, about 2 years and 15 pounds ago!

My glutes are sore,

Ed T.

Ketchup

2/19/11
Squat 290x5, 335x5, 380x5
Step-ups 50 reps
Reverse hypers w/ 35-pounds 50 reps
Kneeling split/squat iso-hold 3x30 sec/side
Ab wheel roll-outs 60

2/20/2011
a1. Press 110x3, 125x3, 140x8 then 5x10/ 65
a2. CSR 4x12/140

b1. Dips w/ 25-pounds 4x12
b2. Straight arm wide grip lat pulldowns 102.5x12, 10

c1. Pushups 70 reps 5 sets
c2. Lat/shoulder stretches

2/21/2011
a. Deadlifts 370x3, 425x3, 475x1x7

b1. GHR 50 reps 4 sets
b2. Walking lunges with little dumbbells 3x10/side
b3. back raises w/ mini band 48 reps

c1. Ab wheel roll-outs 50 reps 3 sets
c2. Overhead band crunches 45 reps

2/23/2011
a1. Bench 225x3, 260x3, 295x1x4 (w/Slingshot) then 315x1, 340x1, 365x1
a2. Pull-aparts w/ monster mini band 4x15

b1. Blast strap push-ups 50 (feet on box)
b2. Fat man pull-ups-neutral grip-blue band 1x10/25 4x10/35

c1. Seated plate raise 2x10/25, 35
c2. Seated lateral raise 2x10/20
c3. Seated clean and press 2x10/20

2/25/2011
a. Squat 310x3, 355x3, 400x1x6

b. Speed pulls-sumo-w/Pro Short mini-bands 275x1x8

2/27/2011
a1. Press 115x5, 130x3, 145x7
a2. CSR work up to 3x12/150

b1. Press 5x10/70
b2. WG straight arm lat pulldowns 105x12x2

c. Dips 60 reps 3 sets

2/28/2011-No pulls-my back was still very sore from Friday's training.
3/1/2011
a1. GHR 3x10
a2. Walking lunges w/ little weights 3x10 1x5
a3. Back raises w/ mini-band 5x12

b1. Ab wheel rollouts 3x20
b2. OH crunches-green band 60 reps

3/2/2011
Part I
a1. Benchpress 245x5, 275x3, 310x6 or 8 (w/Slingshot)
a2. Pull-aparts 3x failure w/ monster mini band

b. Blast Strap push-ups 50 reps (feet up)
Part II
a1. Fat man pull ups w/ 35-pounds 5-6x10 neutral grip
a2. DB press-palms facing 4x10/20-25*
a3. Side raises 4x10/20*
a4. Rear delt raises 4x10/20*
*Fat Gripz

b.Band good mornings 3x20 green band

3/5/2011-back still not good-no lift
3/7/2011 "Deload week"
a1. GHR 30
a2. Walking lunges 4x10/20s

b1. Back raises w/ mini band 5x12
b2. Ab Wheel roll-outs 3x20
b3. Overhead band crunches 2x20 (green band)

3/9/2011-Upper body no benching

So up to this point, my training was a little inconsistent; missing days or moving days to make up for days in which case the days sometimes got "missed". A lot going on in the work/life department so the training department was being neglected somewhat.

On a positive note, I finally got to play around with the Slingshot and worked up to a nice single. Left a little and definitely more to come in that department.

Other noteworthy things was Shawn's front squat with 525 for a single on Febraury 23. Another member, Josh R. tried out the Slingshot and benchpressed 500 pounds; a 100 pound PR!!!

Which brings us to this week...