M7 W2 Press Day

Spring 2009 Training
Mesocycle 7 - Week 2
Press Day

Beginning Thoughts:

I was hard pressed for time so I had to skip some things and focus on the most important lifts today.

Workout:

High Incline Bench Press:
95 lbs x 10 reps
135 lbs x 6 reps
155 lbs x 3 reps
165 lbs x 3 reps
175 lbs x 3 reps
185 lbs x 3 reps
195 lbs x 3 reps
205 lbs x 2 reps
215 lbs x 1 rep
Quality Volume: much better than last week. 215 lbs flew up. I should've taken 225. 

Medicine Ball Twists:
Skipped

Density Training Zone 1 @ 20 minutes:
Pull-ups = 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 4 = 50 reps
Push-ups = 8 + 8 + 8 + 8 + 8 + 8 + 8 = 56 reps
I managed to add 10 reps to my pull-ups from last time and 6 reps to my push-ups (which I was very lax about). I am gonna add weight next week. I am thinking +20 lbs on pull-ups. 

Density Training Zone 2:
Skipped.

Videos:

None

Overall Impression:

This week and part of the next are gonna be very hard because I have so much work to do for school. But, I am gonna try to manage my time better and hopefully I will not end up skipping any workouts. I might have to cut them short though...But I will try not to skip them.

M7 W2 Squat Day

Spring 2009 Training
Mesocycle 7 - Week 2
Squat Day

Beginning Thoughts:

Body is very sore....I can't figure out why though....Plus, I think I gained back those 8 lbs I lost last month...****ing zero determination to NOT stuff food in my face...and damn that packet of Oreo cookies sitting on my desk tempting me!!!

Workout:

Pistol Squats:
Left Leg: Assisted, Assisted, 2 reps, 1 rep, 1 rep
Right Leg: Assisted, 1 rep, 1 rep, 1 rep, 1 rep
Not as good as 2 days ago but then again: I didn't feel like doing this...I was too anxious about squats. 

Back Squats:
335 lbs x 1 rep
Something is just not right. I am facing a few problems with squats:
1.) I can't get my shoulder alignment right. I am not able to grip the bar as closely as I used to. Therefore, with a wider grip, I am not feeling as "tight" as I normally do. Also, I think with a wider grip I am also not going as deep as I normally do. 
2.) I am experiencing a lot of difficulty at about mid-point on my way up. I definitely think this is because of doing Pistol Squats 2x a week. 
3.) I am feeling WAY too comfortable when I am in the hole. The weight feels like barely anything. I have a habit of pausing at the bottom and the weight feels like air. But the moment I am coming back up and at mid-point: it hits me really hard.
After doing 335 lbs I felt like shit so I quit this.

Density Training @ 15 minutes:
Glute Ham Raises = BW x 7 reps x 5 sets
Cable Wood Chops = 27.5 lbs x 15 reps x 6 sets

Videos:

Nothing significant

Overall Impression:

Although my squats are "suffering" (I don't think thats the right word here but nonetheless...) my goal is to nail those pistols so I am gonna remove back squats for this mesocycle and instead I am gonna go back to doing overhead squats on this day. I'll add in back squats in the next mesocycle if I have to but right now back squats are out and overhead squats are in. I need to get my comfort back in squatting. All of a sudden front squats seem so much more fun than back squats.

M7 W2 Extra Workout

Spring 2009 Training
Mesocycle 7 - Week 2
Extra Workout

Beginning Thoughts:

Only got 2 hours of sleep last night....Ugh...

Workout:

Pistols:
Left Leg: 1 + 1 + 3 + 1 + 2 + 1 + 1 = 10 reps
Right Leg: 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 + 1 = 10 reps
Very hard to do this...

Pull-ups:
3 + 4 + 4 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 5 + 5 = 45 reps
I used the straight bar for this....I like alternating the special bar and the regular straight bar...

Videos:

Nothing special for today.

Overall Impression:

The weekend is here 

M7 W2 Deadlift Day

Spring 2009 Training
Mesocycle 7 - Week 2
Deadlift Day

Beginning Thoughts:

Not getting much sleep these days...and I think I am overeating...

Workout:

Banded Deadlifts using the Red Bands Double Looped for Doubles:
195 lbs - This was the first struggle set
165 lbs - This was the second struggle set
115 lbs x 2 reps x 2 sets
125 lbs x 2 reps x 2 sets
135 lbs x 2 reps
All in all this was hard but I think I am getting the hang of "ripping" the bar off the floor. 

Deadlifts:
315 lbs x 3 reps
365 lbs x 2 reps
405 lbs x 3 reps
The first set with 315 lbs was so easy it felt like 225. I even used a hook grip! But then 365 lbs felt a LOT heavier than I expected. 405 lbs was a true grinder....

Density Training @ 15 minutes:
Reverse Lunges = 65 lbs x 6 reps x 3 sets
Plate Pinches = 25 lbs x 20 seconds x 3 sets
Dragon Fly Sit-ups = BW x 6 reps x 4 sets
Exactly as last time....Arg I hate density work but it is so useful sometimes.

Videos:

Banded Deadlifts & Deadlifts:

Overall Impression:

It's Friday finally 

M7 W1 Press Day

Spring 2009 Training
Mesocycle 7 - Week 1
Press Day

Beginning Thoughts:

I finally got some decent carbs in yesterday. I feel good. I actually feel less bloated. Weird.

Workout:

High Incline Bench Press:
95 lbs x 8 reps
135 lbs x 6 reps
155 lbs x 6 reps
175 lbs x 4 reps
185 lbs x 3 reps
205 lbs x FAIL
185 lbs x 2 reps
165 lbs x 4 reps
155 lbs x 6 reps
I might do some quality volume work next week.

Medicine Ball Twists:
15 lbs x 10 reps x 6 sets
I did these super-setted with some of the High Incline Bench Press sets. 

Density Training Zone 1:
Pull-ups = 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 = 40 reps
Push-ups = 10 + 10 + 10 + 6 + 6 + 8 = 50 reps
This was very hard. I am damn proud for nailing those 40 reps on pull-ups. Not all sets were super-setted though.... 

Density Training Zone 2:
Straight Arm Lat Pull-downs = 40 lbs x 12 reps x 3 sets
Floor Skull Crushers = 60 lbs x 8 reps x 3 sets
God I hate arm work....

Videos:

Nothing special to record...

Overall Impression:

Gonna be weighing myself to check on progress in a few days....Minor changes FTW.

M7 W1 Squat Day

Spring 2009 Training
Mesocycle 7 - Week 1
Squat Day

Beginning Thoughts:

Felt good going in today...

Workout:

Pistol Squats:
Practice

Back Squats:
315 lbs x 1 rep
335 lbs x 1 rep
355 lbs x 1 rep
335 lbs x 1 rep
345 lbs x FAIL
I felt very comfortable in the hole. Strange...345 was a bitch. I am gonna do more squat work next time. 

Density Training @ 15 minutes:
Glute Ham Raises = BW x 7 reps x 4 sets
Cable Wood Chops = 27.5 lbs x 15 reps x 5 sets

Videos:

Back Squats: 

Overall Impression:

I hope everyone's had a good weekend. Good luck for next week everyone 

M7 W1 Extra Workout

Spring 2009 Training
Mesocycle 7 - Week 1
Extra Workout

Beginning Thoughts:

Tired as hell going into the workout today...

Workout:

Pistols:
Practice
I managed to get a few reps with my left leg. However, I did also manage to do a few "paused" reps with my right leg. 

Pull-ups:
BW x 5 reps x 4 sets

Videos:

Nothing special for today.

Overall Impression:

I hope everyone's having a good weekend.

M7 W1 Deadlift Day

Spring 2009 Training
Mesocycle 7 - Week 1
Deadlift Day

Beginning Thoughts:

I did not feel like going to the gym today. I've been a bit under the weather and yesterday I was being extremely lethargic to go lift weights...But, I dragged myself to the gym in any case.

Workout:

Banded Deadlifts using the Red Band Double Looped for Doubles:
135 lbs
155 lbs
155 lbs
155 lbs
135 lbs
135 lbs
I originally took 225 lbs and thought I could knock out reps with that. Wow...What a huge underestimation of the power of the bands! Even 135 lbs was hard to lockout at the top. I don't think I managed to completely lock out even a single rep with 155 lbs (any of the sets) but I tried damn hard to do so. I think yesterday was a "shock" just to handle that weight. I think next week I will perfect 135 and nail it. 

Deadlifts:
335 lbs x 3 reps
375 lbs x 2 reps
410 lbs x 1 rep
425 lbs x 1 rep
The problem with doing regular Deadlifts after the band work is that it becomes so much harder to get the weight off the floor. 335 felt like a shit ton of weight for me. I think I need to change my warm-up method. I warm-up (after mobility work, etc) by doing regular deadlifts first acclimating the weight till I hit 355. Then, I strip all that weight and add the bands and I do the work sets. I think this is bad. I should just warm-up till 225 and then just add in the bands and after the band work I should do a bit more acclimation work. But the problem with this is that after band work my back is like a spring, so when I am doing Deadlifts, once I go past my knees the weight just flies up. If I spend too much time acclimating after the band work, I might lose this "power". 

Density Training @ 15 minutes:
Reverse Lunges = 65 lbs x 6 reps x 3 sets
Plate Pinches = 25 lbs x 20 seconds x 3 sets
Dragon Fly Sit-ups = BW x 6 reps x 4 sets
This was mentally hard to get done for sure.

Videos:

Banded Deadlifts & Deadlifts:

Overall Impression:

I hope everyone has had a good week. Thanks for reading and have a good weekend y'all!