12/31/14 ME Upper

Raw bench vs. doubled minis

  Worked up to 315 x 1

  Missed 335

Floor press

  235 x 5

  235 + 40 lb chain x 5

  235 + 80 lb chain x 5

  235 + 120 lb chain x 5

  235 + 160 lb chain x 5

Dumbbell overhead 110 x 12 x 5

Hammer ISO row 135 x 12 x 3 each arm

Dumbbell front raise 40 x 8 x 5

Monster mini band pull apart x 15 x 5

Side bend holding plate x 12 x 3 each side 

12/29/14 ME Lower

Max effort good morning vs. average bands (140 lbs)
  155 x 5
  245 x 5
  add briefs
  335 x 3
  385 x 3
  425 x 3

Front squat to 12" box
  185 x 5
  225 x 5
  275 x 5 x 3

Low Pulley Row, v-handle
  200 x 12 x 4

GHR
  25 x 8 x 4

Reverse Hyper
  450 x 12 x 4

Toes-to-bar x 6 x 4 (slowly getting better at these)

http://youtu.be/SGix9H1q0GA?list=UUovbswRJDdmfc3pIc1n9Yqgg

12/28/14 DE Upper

Fat bar speed bench vs mini bands

  185 x 3 x 9

Close grip fat bar bench 225 x 20

Ultra wide grip fat bar bench 225 x 20

Band press down w/ small band x 25 x 4

Row 500m(2 min)/1min rest x 3

Late workout after driving home from weekend away. Cut things short but still got some work in.

12/26/14 DE Lower

Safety bar squat + average bands

  385 x 2 x 8

Pin 3 pulls + quadded monster bands 

  325 x 3 x 8

GHR x 12 x 4

Lying leg curl 160 x 12 x 4

ISO leg extension

  70 x 15 x 2

  80 x 12

  90 x 10

Reverse hyper 270 x 20 x 2

Rope crunch 90 x 20 x 2

  

12/24/14 ME Upper

Shirted 3-board press

  455 x 3

  495 x 3

  545 x 3

  585 x 3

Standing power press

  180 x 8/8/8 x 3 ( 8 reps each at 3 handles)

Cable crossover Tricep ext. 45 x 15 x 5

Pull-ups 6 x 5

Dumbbell shrugs 120s x 15 x 4

Band pull aparts w/ monster mini x 15 x 4

Pec deck 120 x 25 x 2

12/22/14 ME Lower

Safety Squat bar squat, low box + 120 lbs chain

  Worked up to 555 x 1

Dumbbell lunges

  70s x 5 x 5

Barbell  rows from pins

  135 x 5

  185 x 5

  225 x 5

  275 x 5

  315 x 5

Arched back good mornings

  135 x 15 x 4

Reverse hyper 450 x 8 x 4

Incline sit-ups 25 behind head x 4 x 10

12/21/14 DE Upper

Speed bench 185 + minis x 3 x 9

Dumbbell military press 80s x 20 x 2

Tate press 60s x 8 x 4
  SS w/ band pressdowns x 20 x 4

Football bar lat pulldowns 170 x 12 x 2 each handle (6 sets total)

Dumbbell side raise 25 x 12 x 5

Rear delts on pec deck 80 x 15 x 3

Hammer Curls 60 x 12 x 2

Spread-eagle sit-ups 15 x 4

12/19/14 DE Lower

Speed squats, week1
    SS Bar + average band - 335 x 2 x 10

Sumo pulls + 300 lbs band tension 315 x 2 x 6 (extended pause between reps)

Upright Row 100 x 12 x 4

GHR 25 x 10 x 4

Reverse Hyper 270 x 15 x 3

Standing band crunch 15 x 3

12/17/14 ME Upper

Raw 2-board press + 80 lbs chain - worked up to 275 x 1 (10 lb PR)

Standing power press: 18 x 6 reps at each handle (3 positions) x 3

Seated overhead rope extension 70 x 15 x 4

Chest supported t-bar row 145 x 12 x 4

Dumbbell shrugs 115s x 15 x 4

Reverse grip curl 95 x 8 x 3

Christmas Carnage Recap & Reflections

So...I fell off the wagon again with work, life, etc. being a little busy lately.

I missed posting the last few weeks of training leading up to RPS Christmas Carnage, but I did compete on December 6th.

Squat: 720, 750, 770

Bench: 525, missed 550 twice at lockout

Deadlift: 635, 665 (5 lb PR), missed 685


So...2 years after my knee surgery I finally managed to go 3 for 3 in the squat. Didn't hit a PR, but I'm happy to finally be on the right track.

I accomplished my main goal and qualified for the XPC Finals...which will be my next meet in March.

 I made a few training changes as well...I went back to the old Westside Circa Max template...the new template calls for a max single 3 weeks out, 80% 2 weeks out and 50% 1 week out. I instead worked up to 80% 3 weeks out for a double, briefs only: followed by 100% 2 weeks out, suit straps down; followed by 50% briefs only for 3 doubles 1 week out. It seemed to work, so I'm going to stick with it.

I struggled with my bench shirt in September and most of my training cycle, but after talking to some people and realizing I was tucking too hard to soon, I was able to fix that and my opener was a smoke show. However, I missed 550 twice at lockout...I've been having some tricep tendon issues in my right arm and I think that was part of the issue. I will also be focusing even more on my top end strength leading up to XPC, as well as looking into a new bench shirt (mine might be spanked).

I was very happy with my deadlift...finally, a PR after almost 5 years! I switched back to sumo for this meet after finding out during training that adding my predator briefs under the T-rex suit I pull in is a good combo for me. Even though I missed 685, I feel confident that 700 is right around the corner. I will continue to pound my mid/upper back with volume as this seemed to work this last training cycle.

So...now it's on to XPC. With only 12 training weeks until the meet, I don't have much time to experiment and I will simply focus on a few things:

    Squat: Focus will be on adding in some ME good mornings and also making my first asssitance
               movement each ME day a heavy, low rep builder...thinking of rotating Zerchers, good
               mornings, lunges and front squats for 5x5s. I am also going to experiment with switching
               back to a Leviathan suit if I can get my hands on one.

    Bench: Focus will be on top-end. All raw ME work will either be off boards/pins or with
                bands/chains. Also, all shirt work will be off 2-3 boards or with reverse bands. Also, I will
                be experimenting with a new shirt.

    Deadlift: No big changes. I feel that the high volume back work this training cycle lead to the PR,
                    so I will be continuing that, as well as doing glute hams every week.

Goals for XPC: My main goal is to total over 2000...I was 2 missed lifts away from that this past meet. I would also like to get my squat back over 800, but it remains to be seen if that will happen. I know I can total over 2 grand even with a high 700 squat. A perfect day would be 800/550/700.
 

12/15/14 ME Lower

First day back after Christmas Carnage...fighting a bad cold but feeling motivated! I have fought hard to qualify for XPC and I'm going to give everything I have every day until the meet.

Decided to see where my conventional deadlift is...I determined after September that the Fusion suit I've been pulling in was just too tight, so I switched back to my old (like 12 years old) single ply Hardcore suit.

Deadlift (conventional w/ suite)...worked up to 775 x 1 (missed 700)
   So a 10 lb PR since the meet (where I pulled sumo)! Not bad...a great start to XPC training!!!!

Zercher pulls (from the floor) 225 x 5 x 5
  Haven't done these in probably 2 years...kicked my ass but in a good way!

Glute ham raise 12 x 3

T-bar row 160 x 12 x 3

Reverse Hyper 270 x 15 x 2

Toes-to-bar 8 x 3