Big Pimpin''s Circle Max part duex

"Tied to the whipping post"
Second in the series of unbelievably insane weight lifting is this entry by our Eastern European connection (via Greene County), Brookszinski. Follow Thor's Hammer as he prepares for his latest excursion into the land of giants, also known as The World of Strongman...

Friday April 29, 2011
Warm-up: consisting of laps around the gym (looking for 'new' magazines, checking out the leftover cookies from "Free Cookie Thursday", not to be confused with "Free Cookie Tuesday"), inspecting the plumbing, trying to figure out a way to get water out of the cooler without a cup and the time honored tradition of "Finding-the-Perfect-Training-Chair" (which he did).

Box squat work up to blue, green and purple bands (approximately 350-pounds of band tension via strong, average and light bands) 135x2, 315x2, 405x2, 455x2, 500x1 (PR!), took off the average band and did 585x1 (250-pounds band tension), then took off the light band and did 675x1 (200-pounds band tension)*

*I think the 585 and the 675 were PRs as well!!! And all sets were done with Inzer briefs, no belt and camo shorts.

Battle Royale to follow in May! Stay tuned!!!

Get Strong,
Ed T.

ME Lower

Friday April 29, 2011
Trained with Brain again today
Warm-up incl. 100 p/a's and 20 GHRs

Rack pulls from pin 2 w/ mini bands doubled around bar 275x1, 315x1, 365x1 added belt, 405x1, 455 miss (welded), dropped to 315x1, 325x1 and 335x1

Shrugs 3x10-15/ 315, 405, 495 no belt or straps

Reverse hyper w/ foot bar 4x8/ 150, 300, 390, 480x15 ish

Sled pulls forwards and backwards 8x40 yds/ 115
Straight leg sit-ups wide feet 3x18, 15, 18
Ab Wheel 3x15

Notes
Going from 405 to 455 was a bit too much. I was probably closer to 425-430. I overestimated myself (lol!). Dropped down and did three singles at 73, 75 and 78 percent respectively. The sled drags really pumped up my legs. I felt like I was doing the Brookzinski body mass workout, "El Deluxo Bloat-O". When the weight starts to "feel" heavy, make smaller jumps i.e. be smart and Don't Miss!

Stay strong,
Ed T.

4-25 to 4-27 2011

Sunday the 24th was Easter ("Happy Easter" to all the heathens out there). My little Rinny got baptized Saturday night so Sunday we feasted. I walked back and forth to the kitchen countless times in an effort to get some cardio in.

Monday 4-25-11
Kneeling Squat-to-stand jumps-worked up to 55x1, faltered with 65, did 6 sets of 2 (knees in and knees out)
Squats-225x4, 270x4, 295x4, 315x4x4

Reverse hyper-2x20/ 180 w/ long strap and wide feet

GHR-weighted 25x6, 35x6, 45x8x2 sets
Hanging leg raises-with Ab Straps 3x8 toes to bar

Tuesday April 26, 2011
CSR-4x12/ 135 <60 sec.

Straight arm WG pulldowns-work up to 2x12/ 120
Vertical and horizontal lat stretches 60 sec.

Farmer's walk 8x50 yds (to the end of the building which is 50-60 yards) 128-pounds/ side 60 sec. rest

Wednesday April 27, 2011
Benchpress-9x3 w/155, 165, 175 (3 ea.) 3 grips 2 sets of chain on the bar
Pull-aparts-w/ monster mini band 10x10 (got carried away)

Bandbell bar benchpress-2x20/ 20, 40

DB extensions-8x8/ 35, 40 (4 sets), 45 (3 sets) <45 sec.

Seated front plate raise-33, 44 (2)
Seated side raises-20, 25(2)
Seated clean and press-20, 25 (2)
All 3x12
Low cable rows-pronated grip 2x20

BB curls 3x10/ 55, 65, 75

Notes
Not a bad week. Missed Thursday. I have to train early in the day or I get distracted and the next thing I know its 8 pm and I haven't done squat! The jumping is going well. I slipped and just couldn't get under myself with the last set (i.e. weak and slow lol). But I think it is working.

Stay strong,
Ed T.

ME Upper

Saturday April 23, 201
The usual warm-ups
Benchpress w/ doubled mini-bands-wide grip-225x1 or 3, 250x1, 275x1, 300x1*, added Slingshot ("everyone over 40 needs one") 315 miss, 320x1

JM Press 4x5/ 95, 115, 135, 155 (3)

DB low incline press 2x15/ 65, 75
CSR-wide grip 90x8, 135x8, 180x8, 205x6, 215x6, 225x6

Front plate raise 2x15
One-arm side raises 2x12/ 25, 30
Rear delt raises 2x12/ 35, 45

Hammer curls 2x10/ 40, 50
Band pushdowns 2x50 (mini band)

Notes

The 300 was a PR. With bands, once you start adding weight to the bar, getting slightly out of the groove can screw the press up (the 315 miss). I brought it down too high, corrected, got it off my chest then let it drift back to my head and could not get under the bar to grind it out. It reminded me of shirt work. It emphasizes using your lats to place the bar where you want it (start and finish), bar speed and finishing the lift. Using the Slingshot also reminded me of something Big Pimpin' told me, "Use the shirt (or gear), don't let it use you." Meaning to master the equipment (whatever it is) and do not let it dictate how you lift.

The rest of the workout went great (and fast). Condensed everything after the JM Press into approximately 30 minutes.

Stay strong,

Ed T.

Big Pimpin''s Semi-Circa Max

Thursday April 21, 2011
Warm-up (consisted of walking around the gym, reading old issue of PLUSA, eating a protein bar, checking out the new log press bar and trying out all the office chairs to see which one was most comfortable)

Box squat with strong, average and light bands 405x2, with strong and average bands 500x2*, with strong bands 585x2

*ripped cargo shorts (still got second rep), walked around gym more, cussed, ate more of protein bar, looked at squat bar in new PLUSA, cussed some more, talked to Doug

Deadlifts 625x1 overhand grip with straps (very very easy)

I think I saw BP doing some hammer curls after that. I'm not sure because I was getting extremely hungry which may have affected my vision.

Big Pimpin' is gettin'...

Strong(er),
Ed T.

PS BP and I discussed the possibility of putting together his workouts that I have recorded here for a training manual of sorts. Let me know if anyone is interested and we can go from here.

The week of 4-17 to 4-22

Sunday 4-17-11
A day of rest in most cultures. In mine, a day for a leisurely (30+ minute) stroll through my fifedom.

Monday 4-18-11
Trained with the 4Board
Warm-up incl. 100 pull-aparts and 20 GHRs
Box Jumps 3 sets of 2 reps on small box, then started jumping with DBs, 20s x1, 25s x1, 30s x1, 35s x1, 40s x1, 45s x1, 50s x1, 60s x1, 45s x3 x 2 sets

Squat 225x3, 245x3, 265x3x 5 sets

Safety squat bar Good Mornings 175x5, 225x5, 265x5, 285x5

Reverse hypers 4x8-10/ 90, 180, 270, 360
Straight leg sit-ups with band 4x10

Notes
We trained to the dulsa tones of Johnny Cash, "Live at San Quentin", because a member requested it. There's nothing like a good prison song to get the blood going. And the expression on 4Board's face...priceless.

Tuesday 4-19-11
Warm-up then
Sled pulls (forward/ backwards) 6 trips approximately 30 yds w/ 90-pounds.
Lat pulldowns-wide grip-6 sets of 8 reps changing the bar every few sets
Face pulls 3x12-15

Wednesday 4-20-11
Warm-up incl. pull-aparts (100) and GHRs (20)
Benchpress 7x4 reps 210 (4 sets) then 245 (3 sets) using 3 different grips

Pin press (off chest) 3x5/ 225, 245, 265 medium to wide grips

DB extensions 8x8/ 30, 35, 40 (6 sets)
Low cable rows (wide V-bar) 6x8/ 150, 175, 200, 225, 250, 275

DB front raise 3x10/ 15, 20, 25
Side raise same as above
Rear delt raise same

Notes
M4 almost had his back broken (and a possible pec tear) when a 150-pound gazelle named Keryn jumped on his back when he asked for volunteers to put weight on his back while he was doing suspened push-ups. Sissy.

Thursday 4-21-11
Warm-ups (the usual and then some)
Box jumps low box 3x2 reps and medium box 2x2 then seated jumps onto medium box 1x2 (from a 15-inch box), 1x2 (from a 15-inch box) and raised medium box 1-inch, 2x2 (off of a 13-inch box) onto raised medium box. (Clear as mud, right?)

Friday 4-22-11
Trained with a new member, a 220/ 242 raw powerlifter, BR
Warm-ups the usual and a little more

Low box squats w/ safety squat bar (13-inch box) (weights reflect SSB weight) 265x3, 315x3 added belt, 355x1, 405x1, 415x1, 355x3x2 sets

Seated Good Mornings w/ safety squat bar (weights reflect SSB weight) 5x5/ 175, 205, 235, 265, 285

Back raises w/ mini-band 3x10
Seated low cable rows (H-bar) 3x20/ 150, 175 (2)

DB swings 5x10/ 40-60

Notes
The 415 was a PR.

Stay strong,
Ed T.

ME Lower/ ME Upper and some PRs

Friday April 15, 2011
Warmed up

Reverse band Deadlift-strong bands-(225 = 0 on the floor with bands choked at top of seven-and-a-half-foot rack) 315x5x2, 405x3, 455x3, 495x3, 565x1, 610x1 (bar weight 430) added belt, 655x1, 700x1*, 565x3     *PR
TKE's 3x15

Box squats-w/ cambered squat bar-below parallel box (approximately 2" to 3") 5x5/ 135, 185, 225, 245, 265

Pull-through squats 4x15/ 25, 50, 75 (2)
OH crunches 4x8-10/ 90, 100, 110(2)

Band good mornings (average band) 2x20

Notes

PR! Yea! The 430 was a PR that ended up at 475; a 50-pound increase. The 700 broke another PR by 80-pounds. I was pretty jacked about that. I "think" the cambered squat bar weighs about twenty pounds more than a regular bar (if anyone cares).

Saturday April 16, 2011

Warmed up (the usual)

Floor press w/ 2 sets of chains/ side-medium grip 225x3, 255x1, 295x1*, 240x3

Log Press 120x10, 130x10, 140x10

DB rows 5x8/ 110, 115, 120, 125 (2)

JM Press 4x12/ 45, 50, 55, 65

Incline rear delt raises 4x15/ 15-30

Notes

The 295 was a small PR but one that was a few years old. My shoulder was bothering me a bit so I stopped with the PR. I finally learned how to do the JM Press at the Westside seminar in March and have been playing around with it since (and boy am I weak!)

Must get strong(er),

Ed T.

DE Upper & Jumping

Wednesday 4-13-11
Warm-up incl. 100 (mini) band pull-aparts, 20 GHRs and Weighted overhead crunches 2x15
Benchpress-9x3 w/ 145 w/ short mini bands-3 grips

DB extensions 8x8/ 25, 30, 35 (4 sets), 40 (2 sets)

Close grip pulldowns w/ DD-handle-6x8/ 150, 160, 170 (4 sets)
Pull-aparts (monster mini) 2x failure 30+ reps per set

Wide grip straight arm pulldowns work up to 110x12 rest 2 minutes and repeated
Vertical and horizontal lat stretches

Seated front plate raise 3x12/ 45
Seated side raise 3x12/ 20
Seated clean 3x12/ 20

Two-handed mini band (doubled) 3x15 ea.
BB curls 3x15

Notes
Training took approximately one hour. First time with bands in a long time. Warmed up real good and wore elbow sleeves and everything felt fine.

Thursday 4-14-11
What I will refer to as the 'conjugate warm-up'; meaning it was a composite of whatever I felt like doing for approximately ten minutes because I didn't want to warm-up at all.
Broomstick wall squats 2x15+
Mini-band pull-aparts 3x35
GHR 20

Kneeling jumps 5x2 (one rep knees in and one rep with knees out)

And Matt Fubar is back! (and immobile as ever)

Stay strong,
Ed T.

DE Lower

April 11, 2011 (Monday)
Broken up into two parts
Warm-up (incl. pull-aparts, back raises 2x15, band overhead crunches 3x15, reverse hypers 2x15)

Part 1
Box jumps-onto a 20-inch box-3x2 then 5x2 with DBs (15-35) then seated jumps onto a 20-inch box 3 sets of 2 reps and seated onto a large box 2x2

Squats-work up to 224x4 x2 sets, 245x4, 265x4 x3 sets <60 seconds rest between sets

Part 2
A. GHR 4 sets just shy of failure total of 89 reps
B. Weighted Decline Sit-ups 4x10/ 10, 25, 35, 45
C. DB Shrugs 3x15-20/ 100, 110, 120
D. Reverse hyperextension 2x15-25/ 90, 180 w/ foot bar

Notes

Jumping went well. I didn't push up the DB weight because as I reminded myself, this wasn't a max effort jump day. I got caught up in the moment...Squats were fast and light and the assistance and supplemental work felt good too.

Karen, my evil step-daughter, is training twice a week in the middle of track season (she only wants to throw but has gotten roped into doing everything). We do not do ME-type work because of her age (13). A heavy training session consists of three-to-five reps in the main exercise and we always leave something 'in the tank'. In other words, this is not severely taxing work. Physically she is mature for her age (5'8" and 140-pounds). We do a lot of bodyweight exercises and only recently introduced her to weight training. She has an obviously weak posterior chain and a previous overuse injury in her right shoulder; the testament to the perils of doing a single thing year round (swimming in her case). We are resolving that dilemma, but that's another story.

Here is Monday's session:

1. Deadlift working up to 179x3 (overhand grip) with Band (mini) Pull-aparts 4x25
2. One-arm DB Push Press 4x6/ 15, 20, 25, 35 with Glute ham raises 2 sets just shy of failure
3. Chest supported rows 3x10/ 35 with Front planks 4x30 seconds
4. Deep vertical and horizontal lat stretches and band shoulder traction

In case anyone missed it...she pulled 179x3...and she said, "Dad that was easy."

Yeah, I'm proud.

Stay strong,

Ed T.

ME Upper

Saturday 4-9-11
Still no 4Board...
Warm-up

Floor press-medium grip-at 225 started adding one set of 5/8-inch chains per set and doing triples. Went up to 225x3 plus 4 sets of chains. Ran out of chains. Added 20-pounds bar weight (245) and did a single. Added 20 more pounds and got stuck three-quarters of the way up. Dropped to 185 (bar weight) and the chains and did one more triple (approximately 78-percent).

Flat DB press 110x10x2 sets
CSR-wide grip-3x10/ 95, 140, 165
DB Rows-three point-110x10x3 sets

Press 2x10/ 100, 120
Push ups 2x failure (23, 24)

Band Pushdowns-average band 3x15
Band Side Raises-mini band 3x15/ side

Notes

I think the floor press was a PR. I have to dig further into my log books. Everything felt pretty good today. The attempt at 265 was like hitting a wall. Again, I will attribute a large part of the problem to being slow. The 245 came up fast. I figured on getting the 265 then determine a PM from there. Ooops.

Stay strong,

Ed T.

ME Lower

4-8-11 (Friday)
No 4-Board today
Usual warm-up incl. 2x15 OH crunches and 2x20 Band good morning (light band)
A. Box squat-parallel box-worked up to 315x2, added Metal Squatter w/ straps down and belt 355x2 x7 sets w/ <60 sec. rest

B. Deadlifts with Fat Bar-conventional-worked up to a PM (percieved max) of 475x1 after an easy 405x1 then did 335x2, 355x2, 365x2 (70-75-77 percents of 475)

C. Staright-leg deadlifts on a 4-inch box 185x6 x3 sets
D1. Hanging leg raises 2x failure (25+19)
D2. Lying leg curls 2x20, 15/ 60, 65
D3. Reverse hyper 3x15 (with long belt and wide feet) 90, 180, 270
D4. Paloff Press Iso-hold 3x3 w/ 10 sec. hold per side

The squats felt awkward and I just couldn't get my groove until maybe the last set. The pulls were easy. The Fat Bar feels like it puts a little more weight "out front" but it wasn't anything unbearable. I was pleased that my grip didn't offer me any problems. I just had to remind myself to pull into my body "harder" and the weight came right up. (Like a big ol' teeter-tooter).

Stay strong,

Ed T.

April 3 to April 7

4-3-11 (Sunday) -walked approximately 40 minutes moderate pace

4-4-11 (Monday)
Warm-up (incl. 100 pull-aparts and 20 GHRs)
Box jumps worked up to a 31-inch box for 3 sets of 2 reps (16 total jumps/ reps)
Squats 225x3x3, 245x3x3, 265x3x3

4-5-11 (Tuesday)
Warm-up (the usual)
A. Benchpress work up to 155x3x3 sets, 165x3x3 sets, 175x3x3 sets w/ two pair of 5/8-inch chain per side. Used 3 different grips.

B. 4-board press with medium grip 275x3, 315x3

C1. Tricep extensions 8x8/ 25-35 then 35 for all sets (5 total)
C2. Standing front DB raises 3x15 (tight form)
C3. Face pulls 2x 1-2 shy of failure (30-something reps per set)

D1. Flys 2x20/ 25, 30
D2. Hammer curls 3x15/ 30-40
D3. Pushdowns 2x40 (monster mini band)

E1. Hammer Strength Hi-Row 3x12/ 90, 140, 180
E2. Dips 35 reps 2 sets

Notes

Monday - I am trying to get my training done in the morning because otherwise I frequently have happen what did so today. The gym gets busy and my training gets pushed to the side. So part two of Monday's training never occurred. Instead of doing traditional dynamic effort work, I am using between 50-60 percent for 20-24 reps and doing my squats in sets like 10x2 or 12x2 or 4x5 or 5x4 or 6x4 or 4x6, etcetera. This is called flat-loading. The jumping serves to replace the DE work.  

Tuesday - Typical dynamic effort work. Letters D and E occur during the twenty minutes of free time I give myself at the end of my training day. If I feel froggy, I can get a lot done. If I do not feel like doing anything, I can do that too. It works pretty well. I can do something as simple as extra foam rolling or some sled work or whatever.

4-6-11 (Wednesday)
Usual warm-up then
Wide grip lat pulldowns for 5 sets of 8 reps using a weight I could do 12-15 reps with <60 seconds rest.

4-7-11 (Thursday)
Warm-up
Kneeling jumps close x2 and wide x2, w/ dowel on back close x2 and wide x2, add barbell then 25x2x2 (one close and one wide), 35x2x2 (one close and one wide)

Upper body sled pulls 50-pounds 6x (approximately 100-feet)
Notes

For the jumps I only rest as long as I feel I need to completely recover (doesn't take long) and jump as "hard" as I can each rep. You can jump from kneeling straight up or resting back on your heels or from a rock. I try to mix it up and usually go by how I feel. Jumping the day before my lower body work-outs helps prevent "Delayed-Onset-of-Muscle-Soreness" (DOMS). "Close" or "wide" refers to foot stance. Jumping with my feet wider is a bit easier because all I have to do is rotate my hips to stand. "Close" jumping requires me to get past my thighs to stand; its a bit harder.

Jump strong,

Ed T.

ME Upper

4-2-11 Saturday w/ M4
Usual warm-up
A. Reverse band benchpress-wide grip-worked up to 480x1, added the Slingshot and did 500x1, 525x1, 535 miss *The 525 started to drift towards my head on the press and I was able to push it back towards my feet and finish it. Decided to take the 535 which was a miss when I couldn't lock out the right side by an inch. We had trouble setting up the bands so the bar hung evenly on both sides and that may have had an effect on the outcome. (That and the fact that if I was faster I could've nailed it lol) M4 got 500x1 Slingshot-less

B1. Verical press 275x12x3 sets
B2. Lat pulldowns-Prison bar 2x12/ 130, 150, DD-handle 2x15/160, 170, H-handle 1x12/ 170

C1. Face pulls 4x15/ 40-70
C2. Straight leg sit-ups 2x20

D1. Pushdowns 2x20/ 70
D2. OH band crunches 2x20 (green band)
D3. GHR 20

E1. OH side band crunches 2x15 ea. (green band)
E2. Lat stretches and shoulder band traction

Good stuff

Stay strong,
Ed T.

ME Lower

4-1-11
Warm-up (da usual)
A1. Kneeling jumps 4 (2 close stance and 2 wide stance)
A2. Kneeling jump to squat to jump onto box (19-inch) 4 (2 close and 2 wide)
A3. Box jumps: medium box x1, tall box x1, medium box on 3-inch platform x1, tall box w/ same platform x1

B. Deadlifts-against mini-bands-weights on 4-inch blocks 285x1 added belt, 325x1 added briefs, 375x1, 415x1, 465x1 (slow and ugly) *used EFS Pro Short Mini-bands

C. Good mornings-arched back w/ cambered squat bar-5x5/ 150, 210, 230, 250, 270

D1. Hanging leg raises 3x20
D2. Reverse hypers 3x20/ 90, 180, 205
D3. Ab Wheel roll-outs 2x20

I didn't jump yesterday so I worked it into the warm-up. It went well I think. Didn't push the height, concentrated on being as fast as possible.

Stay strong,
Ed T.

Katsup 3-26-11 to 3-30-11

3-26-11 ME Upper
Trained with M4
Warm-up (incl. 100 pull-aparts and 20 GHR and mobility work)
A. 3-Board press-closer grip-275x3, 315x1, 345x1 added Slingshot, 365x1 same, moved to a medium grip 385x1 w/ SS

B1. Flat DB press work up to 105x10x2
B2. Seated cable rows-"big" V-bar 3x10/ 150, 200, 250 switched to H-bar 3x10/ 175, 200, 225

C.  Press 3x5/ 95, 120, 135

D1. Push-ups 80 reps (4 sets)
D2. Barbell curls 3x15/ 25, 35, 45 55x10
D3. Hanging leg raises 3x15
D4. Back raises 2x15

We used the Slingshot under the boards and it doesn't offer a lot this way because it simply offers more support in the bottom of the lift. It still helped.

3-27-11 Walked around da hood for approx 45 minutes.

3-28-11 DE Lower
Warm-up (the usual)
A. Box jumps 5x2 @ 60% of last week's jumps <90 sec. rest (wore ankle weights 5-pounds each?)

B1. GHR 4 sets leaving a few in the tank 26+19+18+20
B2. Standing Pull-down abs 6x15/ 70-115 and back down again
B3. Static lunges 2x8/ 35, 40
B4. DB shrugs 2x15-20/ 110, 120

3-29-11
Warm-up
WG Lat pulldowns 6x12/ 150 changing bars every other set
Sled upper body 6 trips w/ 45
Broomstick squats 50 reps

3-30-11 DE Upper
Part Juan
Warm-up
A. Benchpress 155x3x3, 165x3x3, 175x3x3 using 3 different grips <60 sec. rest

Later that day...
Part Duex
Trained with John Adams
A. DB rollbacks 8x8/ 20, 30, 40, 50, 55, 35x8x3

B1. DB Press 3x10
B2. DB side raise 3x10
B3. DB rear delts 3x10

C1. Band pushdowns 4x20/ light band
C2. Flys 2x25
C3. Face pulls 2x1-2 shy of failure 50#

Yes I trained with "the" John Adams.

Stay strong,
Ed T.