Starting "2-a-Weeks"

That's what I'm calling my new training split.  Football players, as well as athletes from some other sports, sometimes practice their craft twice a day, known as "two-a-days".  Well right now, a return to school, physical therapy, and limitations due to my shoulder have reduced my training frequency to twice per week for the forseeable future.  For the rest of July, I hope to keep train on Wednesdays and Sundays.  Once Ramadan starts on August 1 and I know whether or not I'll need surgery, I'll re-evaluate whether or not those days will work.

Here's what I did this week:

Wed. 7/6

1. Leg Press - plate loaded machine, wearing flat soled shoes & Inzer knee sleeves (no velcro)
180/10, 360/10, 540/10
630/10 - sets started getting tough here
720/5
630/6
540/10, 10, 10

2. Calf press - on the leg press machine
180/15, 15, 20

3. Bootleg GHR- done on back extension
BW/15, 15, 20

4. Incline Sit-Ups
BW/15, 15

Sun. 7/10

1a. Hack squat - wearing Inzer knee sleeves (no velcro)
sled/10, 90/10, 180/10 - flat soled shoes 
180/10 - switched to Oly shoes
270/10 - really hard.  I hate hack squats.

1b. Unilateral seated calf press
25/15 each
50/15 each, 11 each
alternating rest-pause: 75/10 left, 10 right, 5 left, 5 right

2a. Standing leg curl - obviously has to be one leg at a time :)
30/10 each; 50/15 each; 60/12 each

2b. Incline sit-up - Foot-end of the bench can be placed on any of 5 rails.  1 is lowest, 5 is highest.
3rd rail: 20
4th rail: 15
5th rail: 20

3. Abduction/Adduction machine
abductor: 90/20
adductor: 70/20

I can't believe how fast I've lost strength on the leg press.  To me, this confirms something I've long believed - squatting will make you stronger on machines than machines will make you stronger on machines.  I haven't done a barbell squat since June 16.  Last time I did leg press was June 1.  I did 855 for 11 reps on my heaviest set, and that was after doing deficit deadlifts as heavy as 515 lbs, not to mention delivering mail that day in 95 degree heat.  Now that I think about it, I better stop talking about this before I get depressed.

I don't go to PT again until Friday.  Until then, it's doing my prescribed rehab exercises at home, plus another gym trip on Wednesday.

So what exactly is a labrum, anyway?

I've been a bit bummed since my last post.  I made it to the gym like I hoped, and hit a new 10-rep squat PR with 385 lbs!  However, my shoulder felt worse, just from stabilizing the bar in my back.  By the end of that week, I realized too much time had elapsed since the initial injury (May 16), and that things should have improved from a muscle strain. 

Before I go too far, or in case you're short on time, here's a quick recap video.  In 3 minutes and a few seconds, you can watch the one of the last set of overhead presses I did (which may have been the straw that broke the bull's back), the squat PR set, and get a quick synopsis of what's going on with me.

Now for the timeline, at least as well as I can remember it:

•  May 16:  Date of initial injury.  Hurt it doing overhead presses with 150 lbs for 8 & 9 reps, and/or 8 sets of weighted pull-ups with 55 lbs each set.

• May 26: Did overhead presses & weighted pullups again.  Strength on both were down, and pain was up.  Decided to back off of overhead lifts for a while, but would continue training the Big 3 (Squat, Bench, Deadlift, in case you don't know) moving towards USAPL Raw Nationals in August.

• May 27: Squatted 400 lbs for 7 reps.  I'm pretty sure that's a raw squat PR.  But I mention it because I noted left shoulder pain in my journal on this day.  It must have been pretty bad, because all I did was squat.

• May 30: Slapped some Tiger Balm on my shoulder and benched 245 for 6 reps and 255 for 3.  All I had time for, because it was Memorial Day and the gym was closing early.  That must have been a mercy to me so I wouldn't do any more damage.

• June 4 (or so): Went to urgent care center for my shoulder.  Doctor said it was probably a ligament strain.  Gave me some diclofenac sodium.  I'd already started taking 800 mg ibuprofen.  3 weeks of NSAID's gave me terrible stomach pains to go along with my shoulder pain.

• June 7: Benched 270 for 2 doubles.  I noted that I thought my shoulder was improving, but wasn't sure.  I noticed that it was harder to retract my left shoulder on the eccentric portion of the bench press.

• June 10: Deadlifted 495 lbs without a belt (beltless PR), and easily pulled 525.  Decided to go ahead with my next full 5/3/1 cycle, adding overhead presses back in.  Only 2 more cycles before Raw Nationals!

• June 13: After a thorough warm-up, I pressed 155 lbs for 3 sets of 5, followed by 135 x 8.  Felt very hard, but I figured it was due to laying off the lift for a while.  By the time I went to bed, I could barely raise my left arm.  My wife massaged it pretty hard, and my range of motion improved quite a bit.  By the next morning, it was messed up all over again.

• June 15: Hit the 385 lb x 10 squat.  Face looked like :)  Went to bench, and could only get 4 reps with 235.  Face went to :(

• June 18: Went back to urgent care and saw a different doctor, since I couldn't get an appointment with my primary care doctor until mid-July.  This doctor ordered an MRI, while making jokes about how I must be crazy "to lift that much weight".  I decided against telling her how weak I am compared to lifters I admire, and really couldn't wait to get back to lifting heavy again.  It was somewhere between the 18th and 21st that I decided I was out of this year's Raw Nationals.

• June 21: Got MRI done.  Nice preview of what being in a coffin will be like, not that I wanted one.

• June 24: Saw an orthopedist, who diagnosed me with a torn labrum (I learned the answer to the title question), bursitis, tendinitis (in the biceps tendon), and bruised humeral head.  He said I have 2 options: physical therapy or arthroscopic surgery.  Explained things, answered questions, and wasn't pushy either way.

• June 28: Started physical therapy.  Plan is to go for a month, then see the orthopedist again for re-evaluation.  

So in a big nutshell, that's it.  I don't know how fast things are "supposed" to improve with PT, but if the first 8 days are any indication, I may be going under the scope before it's all over.  My shoulder hurts more, but it seems to have improved ROM.  According to my therapist, a worst-case scenario is that I really do need surgery, and the PT will have me stronger going into it and coming out of it.   Here's hoping for the best.  Another concern of mine, aside from being out of the gym, is missing work.  I haven't seen too many one-armed mail carriers before.  I'm not saying it can't be done, but I'm sure I would miss some time that I really don't want to miss. 

At least there's a silver lining in this cloud.  I start school again in 5 days.  I'm back in college to study actuarial science, which is what I planned to do coming out of high school.  Maybe this is God's way of making sure I don't have too many distractions when I go back.  If so, I trust He knows better than me.

For now, I'm training legs on machines (leg press, squat press, leg curls, bootleg GHR's, etc.), and doing sit-ups for abs.  I think I'll get a neck harness.  I've been meaning to try one, and I don't have much else to do right now.  I'll post progress with all of that, along with therapy updates, as things happen.  Thanks so much for reading all this and catching up with me.

More real-time updates to come on Twitter @BodyBldgPwrLftr

End of cycle 3, Start of Cycle 4

10 weeks out from Raw Nationals, and the left shoulder I mentioned in my last entry isn't getting much better.  In fact, it's much worse after doing my first overhead presses in 2 weeks.  Before I get too far ahead of myself, here's what I've been up to...

Tue. 6/7, Core lift: Bench press, 5/3/1 day

Must not have weighed myself, because I don't have a weight listed
Working max = 270 lbs

1. Bench press
bar/10; 95/5; 135/5; 175/5; (75%) 205/5; (85%) 230/3
(95%) 255/1
(100%) 270/1.5, 2

I hit the rack on the 2nd rep of set 1 at 270, and that was directly responsible for the missed rep.

2. Seated cable row - used v-handle
80/15; 100/10; 120/10; 140/10; 150/10

At this point, my left shoulder felt ok and had not become any worse.

Fri. 6/10, Core lift: Sumo deadlift, 5/3/1 day

Bodyweight = 196 lbs, down mostly due to working in the heat for the past few days (90+ degrees)
Working max = 525 lbs

1. Deadlift - back to slippers and 45 lb plates
stiff legs: 135/8 + sumo: 135/8
sumo: 225/5; 315/5; (75%) 395/5; (85%) 445/3
(95%) 495/1 - beltless PR! - will probably not do a beltless deadlift heavier than this anytime soon
(100%) 525/1

Mon. 6/13, Core lift: Overhead press, 5's

Bodyweight = 197.5 lbs
Working max = 185 lbs

Did alternating sets of presses and pulldowns or chins.

1a. Overhead press
bar/10, 80/5, 100/5, (65%) 120/5, (75%) 140/5
(85%) 155/5 x 3 sets - Did not attempt a max-reps set in an effort to conserve my shoulder.
135/8

1b. Pulldowns/Chinups - different grips/variations
pulldowns: 50/15, 90/10, 110/10
L-sit chinups: BW/10
underhand "curl-ups": BW/10, 10 - These are underhand chinups where I curl my knees to my chest as I pull my chin onver the bar.
medium/overhand pullups: BW/8, 7
medium/neutral: BW/8 - tanked out on a 9th

2. DB Bench Press
65's/10, 10, 8

3. Tricep press machine
rest-pause: 110/12 + 8

My shoulder felt fine during and right after this session.  By the time I went to bed, I could barely raise my left arm.  It was the same this morning.  My wife massaged it and really pressed into it, which hurt like hell.  It must have worked though, because I immediately had a lot more ROM.  Maybe watching Karate Kid all those times helped, because this was the closest thing I've had to a Mr. Miyagi experience.  Hopefully, I'll be able to hold a bar on my back for squats tomorrow.  Video recap coming soon.  Thanks for catching up with me!

Working through shoulder injury

Before an update, here's an overdue video recap of the first wave (4 workouts) of this current cycle. The soundtrack is a forgotten jewel of a throwback for the true hip-hop/rap fiends. Even if that doesn't describe you, it's still pretty cool. Thanks in advance for watching!

Somehow, probably about 2 weeks ago while doing overhead presses or weighted pullups, I suffered some minor injury to my left shoulder. According to the doctor I saw yesterday, it's probably some ligament strain. So I've been dodging any pushing or pulling except for last week's benches. I ended up hitting (90%) 245 for 6 and (95%) 255 for 3. Not bad numbers for me, especially considering a bum shoulder.

So that leads me up to today's squat workout.

Mon. 6/6, Core lift: Squat, 5/3/1 day

Bodyweight at gym= 200 1/4 lbs
Working max = 445 lbs

1. Squat
bar/10; 155/5; 245/5; (75%) 335/5; (85%) 380/3
add belt: (95%) 425/1
(100%) 445/1, 2, 1, 1, 1

2a. Bootleg GHR - done on back extension
BW/15, 15

2b. Ab wheel
BW/20, 20

Nothing fancy, not a lot of volume, but I'm pleased with how it went. I'm hoping the rest, anti-inflammatories, tiger balm, ice, etc. will have me ready to bench sometime within the next 3 days. Even if I'm not ready for presses, squats and deads are doing fine, so I'm not panicking right now.

Looking ahead, it looks like I have a good chance to get back in school this summer. I plan to go back in the fall either way, so time is about to come at even more of a premium. Training has kept me (mostly) sane the last few years, so I don't intend to be unfaithful now. But workouts may have to be adjusted in a month or so. I'll be peaking for a meet anyway, so that may be a blessing in disguise. Core lifts and little else should help to keep me focused. Thanks for catching up with me. 

Recap Video, Deload, Started a New Cycle

It seems that I've been sidetracked more than I realized lately.  Since I last updated, I did 3 more sessions and was really due for a deload by the time it was over.  Here's the video recapping the highlights of the last wave of cycle 2.  For some reason, I can't embed it yet.  Please click the link to see it. Thanks for watching and I hope you enjoy it. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1gSzFaGd8c
 
Deload work was easy.  1 upper body session and 1 lower body session was all I needed or wanted.  More mailman GPP than I would have liked, but hey, we have to eat!  :)

By yesterday, I was itching to get back to the weights.  Here's how it went:

Mon. 5/16/11

Core lift: Overhead press, Cycle 3, Wave 1

Bodyweight = 198.5 lbs
Pre-workout supplement: 1 serving EndoRush (BSN) + 2 capsules Con-Cret

1. Overhead Press, working max = 180 lbs
55/10; 75/5; 95/5; (65%) 115/5; (75%) 135/5 
(85%) 150/8.5

At this point, I was a bit frustrated.  My heaviest weight for this session was a repeat of cycle 2, wave 1.  Last time, the bar stalled over my head on what would have been rep 9.  Fast forward 5 weeks, and the same thing happened.  Disgusted, I went to the bathroom and locker room.  By the time I got back, I'd decided to make a second attempt at beating the 8 reps I did last cycle.
 
(85%) 150/9! - This is the first time I've ever missed a rep goal on 5/3/1, then come back to get it in the same session.  Sweet!

(85%) 150/5; (75%) 135/10

2a. Pullups - after the 4th set, I started alternating sets with 2b.
wide, overhand: BW/8; 55/7, 6
medium, overhand: 55/6, 7
medium, neutral: 55/6, 7
narrow, underhand: 55/5, 5

2b. Floor press
185/8; 225/5
245/6, 4
225/5, 4

3. Rear delts - on pec-deck
Drop-rest-pause set: 150/10 + 110/6 + 4

Next session (squat) is planned for Wed. 5/18.

Fri. 4/29, Overhead Press

The last wave of this cycle got off to a pretty good start tonight.  I'm definitely making progress on the OHP, based on comparisons to the last cycle.  Plus, I'm making small but steady progress on the floor presses.  I think if I were to do them first in a workout, I'd probably move a bit more weight on them.  But progress is progress, so I'm happy.

Tonight's stats:

Bodyweight at gym: 201 3/4 lbs.
Working max = 175 lbs
Pre-workout supplement: Fierce by SAN

1. OHP
bar/8; 90/5; 110/5; (75%) 130/5; (85%) 150/3
add belt: (95%) 165/6 - improved from 160 x 5 last cycle
(100%) 175/1, 1+1+1 - The last 3 singles were done in a "cluster" with just 10-20 seconds rest between them.

Alternated sets of the next 2 lifts

2a. Chinups - underhand, shoulder width grip
pulldowns to warm up: 100/10
BW/5; 50/3; 100/3 - need to check, but this may be a PR
75/5; 50/8; 25/10
BW/14 - The 1st 11 were done L-sit style, then 3 normal ones

2b. Floor press
135/10; 225/5
245/5 x 4 sets
205/10

3. Pulldowns - wide grip
rest-pause-drop set: 150/3 + 200/5 + 170/5 + 140/6 + 100/12

Catching Up: Waves 1 & 2 of Cycle 2

With so much going on at home, especially my wife's approaching college graduation, I haven't had as much time to post as I'd like.  For the quickest recap of what happened in the 1st & 2nd wave of my reloaded version of 5/3/1, take a few moments to watch my latest training video:

Here's a quick write-up.  I'll leave out most of the assistance work for the sake of time.  I've also started to mention which pre-workout supplement I'm using before each session.  I still have about 80 servings or so to through from The Arnold.  Post-workout beverage of choice is EAS Finish (290 calories, 35g protein) added to 24 oz. 2% milk.  I got 80 servings for free in Ohio.

Mon. 4/11, Core lift: Overhead press

Didn't weigh myself
New working max = 175 lbs
Pre-workout supplement: CytoMax by CytoSport

1. OHP
bar/10; 75/5; 95/5; (65%) 115/5; (75%) 130/5
(85%) 150/8.5 - I was so close to matching the 9 reps with 145 (85%) from last cycle!
150/5, 6
135/8


Tue. 4/12, Core lift: Squat

New working max = 435 lbs
Bodyweight at gym = 199 lbs.
Pre-Workout supplement: Black Powder by MRI

1. Squat
bar/10; 135/5; 225/5; (65%) 280/5; (75%) 325/5
add belt: (85%) 370/10 - 10 rep PR!
(85%) 370/5, 6

Thu. 4/14, Core lift: Bench press

Bodyweight: 203(?!)
New working max = 265 lbs
Pre-workout supplement: Muscle Marinade by Purus Labs

1. Bench press
bar/10; 95/5; 135/5; (65%) 175/5; (75%) 200/5
(85%) 225/8.5 - I thought I could grind out a 9th rep. I was wrong.
225/5, 6, 6, 5

Somehow, I ended up using the same weight for the 85% session as I did last cycle. Just as well, since this was a 2-rep improvement over last cycle on the AMRAP set. I still have a lot of work to do on this lift though.

Mon. 4/18, Core lift: Deficit Deadlifts, 5's

Bodyweight: 200.5 lbs
New working max = 515 lbs
Pre-workout supplement: NO X-Plode XT by BSN

1. Deficit deadlifts - using 35 lb plates & wearing shoes instead of slippers
185/5; 265/5; (65%) 335/5; (75%) 385/5
add belt & Versa-Gripps: (85%) 435/9
remove Versa-Gripps: (85%) 435/1, 1, 5 

Wed. 4/20, Core lift: Overhead press, 3's

Didn't weigh myself
Working max = 175 lbs
Pre-workout supplement: Quake 10.0 by Scivation

1. OHP
bar/10, 5; 95/5; (70%) 120/3; (80%) 140/3
add belt: (90%) 155/8 (2 rep improvement)
(95%) 165/1+1+1, 1+1+1 - basically 2 clusters of 3 singles each. The + equals 20 seconds rest. Took a normal rest between the first and second cluster.
135/12

Thu. 4/21, Core lift: Squat, 3's

Bodyweight: 200 lbs
Working max = 435 lbs
Pre-workout supplement: Assault by MusclePharm

1. Squat
135/5; 225/5; (70%) 305/3; (80%) 350/3; (90%) 390/3 - probably a beltless PR triple
add belt: (95%) 415/1, 2, 1
315/10, 10

Mon. 4/25, Core lift: Bench press, 3's

Didn't weigh myself
Working max = 265 lbs
Pre-workout supplement: Assault by MusclePharm

1. Bench press

95/5; 135/5; (70%) 185/3; (80%) 215/3 
(90%) 240/6
(95%) 250/1, 4, 1
225/7

2. Seated cable row - stack maxes out at 200

wide/neutral grip: 100/10; 140/10; 170/8
v-grip: 170/11, 10
wide/neutral, rest-pause-drop set: 200/5 + 160/8 + 120/15 + 12

3. Dips
45/8; 100/11, 6 - the 11 set was a +2 rep PR!
rest-pause-drop set: 100/5 + 75/5 + 50/5 + 25/5 + BW/8 + 2 (wanted 10 reps on the last segment)

Tue. 4/26, Core lift: Deficit deadlifts, 3's

Bodyweight = 201.5 lbs  in shoes and underwear.  I don't usually wear shoes on the scale, but it was wet.
Working max = 515 lbs
Pre-workout supplement: K-Otic by All American EFX

1. Deficit DL - 35 lb plates instead of 45's.  Shoes instead of slippers.
150/6; 220/5; 290/3; (70%) 360/3; (80%) 415/3
add belt & Versa-Gripps: (90%) 465/6
remove Versa-Gripps: (95%) 490/1 x 4 sets

2. Leg Press - wearing Inzer knee sleeves
360/8; 540/6; 675/6; 855/14, 11

Thanks for catching up with me.  Back to the grind on Friday 4/29.

My wife is a powerlifter too

A variety of things have gotten in the way of my posting lately, so here's the quick recap of what I've been doing:

* I started my 2nd cycle of a 5/3/1 remix.  After the 5's sessions, PR's include a 370 lbs x 10 rep squat and 435 lbs x 9 deficit deadlift.  So far so good.  I've also introduced floor presses and love them for building tricep strength.  They feel great!

* I've been weighing 199-200 lbs at the gym.  I guess I'm around 196-197 in the morning.  My waist is holding at 33" at wake-up.


On Saturday, April 16, I had the privilege of coaching my favorite client, my wife, through her first powerlifting meet.  After only 20 weeks of training, she did as well as anyone could hope.  She went 9/9, making lifts of 82.5 kg squat, 52.5 kg bench and 102.5 kg deadlift.  All 3 of her squats, and her total were new Maryland State records for her division.  Please take a few moments to check out her progress.  Thanks for watching!

4/5 Squats & Supplements from The Arnold

Call for help! I'd like some input on this one.  It has been a month since the Arnold Sports Festival, and I'm looking at bags full of supplements that I haven't even touched yet.  Before I get into all of that, let me give the recap of yesterday's squat session.

5/3/1 rep day
Bodyweight at gym: 199
Working max = 425

 1. Squat
bar/8; 135/5; 225/5; (75%) 315/5; (85%) 360/3
(95%) 405/2 - beltless 2-rep PR!
add belt: (100%) 425/2, 1
315/11 - My ability to breathe through high rep sets isn't what it used to be.  I had the strength for a few more reps, but not the air.

I got to the gym late, so that was it.

As for the supplements, most of it was free, and some of it was purchased.  I'm not going to catalog all of the brands here, because honestly, it would just take too long.  I'd get bored typing it, and you'd get bored reading it.  Here is a summary of what I came home with:

41 servings - whey protein (17-30 g each).  This doesn't count the free 2 lb tub I got at the Vitamin Shoppe booth.
17 servings - casein or protein blends
106+ servings - pre-workout powder
  - This only counts the sample packs.  I got an additional 45 servings for $5 from Advanced Muscle Science and 42 servings of EAS Push (no caffeine) for free.
18 servings - post-workout powders (creatine/glutamine/amino blends like Cell-Tech)
40 servings - thermogenics/fat burners
80 servings - EAS Finish post-workout powder
60 servings - BCAA's: leucine, isoleucine, valine, glutamine (16g each)
30 servings - a bottle of "Hyper Trop-X, anabolic stimulator w/Peak ATP*" by Advanced Muscle Science.
  - Pills with beta alanine, leucine,yohimbine HCl and "Peak ATP".  I have no idea what this is supposed to do.
90 servings - 270 tablets of arginine malate (2000 mg) and citrulline malate (500 mg)
45 servings - testosterone booster w/tribulus terrestris, zinc, magnesium, B6 and a bunch of other stuff.
72 servings - Con-cret concentrated creatine.  48 servings are pills, 24 are powder.

The main question I have for anyone who may be reading this is - how should I stack/cycle this stuff to help me get bigger and stronger, and recover from workouts and my job?  DISCLAIMER: I realize some of this stuff may not work at all, and I'm not sold on the overall effectiveness of these products.  But considering that it was really cheap or free, I'm game to experiment.  I think I'll try drinking the BCAA's while I'm delivering mail.  Other than that, I haven't really figured out a plan yet.  I'm hoping to start some of this stuff on Monday 4/11, when my next 4-week lifting cycle begins. 

Feel free to comment here, or send me a message at thestrengthproject@gmail.com.  I appreciate any input you may have.

Wave 2 Video & 5 Days of Training

Before the recap of Friday and Saturday's training, here's the training video from wave 2 of 5/3/1.  I'm deviating more from the original plan, using singles along with the "as many reps as possible (AMRAP)" sets, plus multiple sets at the heaviest weight.  I'll explain this in greater detail in another post.  Thanks for watching!

Fri. 4/1, Core lift: Overhead Press, 5/3/1

Working max = 170 lbs
Bodyweight at gym: 200 lbs


1. Overhead press
bar/12; 85/5; 115/5; (75%) 130/5; (85%) 145/3
(95%) 160/5
(100%) 170/1, 1, 3
135/10

2. Pullups - overhand, medium grip (few inches outside shoulder width)
BW/10
+50/6, 6, 8, 6
BW/11

3. 1-arm DB flat bench
50/10 each
80/10 each - pronated
80/8 each - neutral
80/10 each - rotated pronated to neutral

Time: 1 hr 12 min

Sat. 4/2, Assistance Lifts

The first 3 exercises were done as a circuit, with varying rest periods.

1a. Hammer ab machine
50/10; 100/10; 150/5

The machine functioned worse as the weight got heavier, so I switched to sit-ups on a decline bench while holding an empty bar overhead.

bar/15 x 2 sets

1b. Standing calf machine
250/12; 350/12; 450/10, 11

1c. Shrugs - done on the calf machine
250/12; 350/12; 450/12, 20

2. Rear delts on the pec-deck
60/12, 15, 12, 16, 12

Time: 46 min

I must be full of energy these days, or I'm really bored.  As of yesterday, I completed 5 days of training in a week.  It has been a nice change of pace.  I don't feel battered, I'm not bruised (except for a little on top of my shoulders), and I'm looking forward to tomorrow's squats.  We'll see what tomorrow brings. 

Training Day, Training Day, Training Day

For the first time in ages, I've trained 3 days in a row.  I don't know if I'd want to do this all the time, but I have come to a conclusion: I miss training 4 days per week.  I don't know if I'm missing out on gains or not.  I do know that recovery has been better since I went to a 3-day rotation a year or so ago.  But I love lifting and pushing myself, and doing that one extra day per week can't be bad.  We'll see.

As for what I've done the last 3 days, I'll give an abridged version.  As you may be able to tell, what started as 5/3/1 with singles is morphing into something else.  That's fine with me.  This may lead to something really good.  We'll find out in August.

Mon. 3/28, Core lift: Bench press, 3's

Working max = 260 lbs
Bodyweight at gym = 198 1/2 lbs

After several months experimenting with a wider grip, I went back to my more narrow grip, with my pinkies just inside the rings on the bar.

1. Bench press
135/5; (70%) 182/3; (80%) 208/3
(90%) 234/6 - Redemption!  Last week, I could only muster 6 reps with 225.  This still sucks, but it's an improvement.
(95%) 247/1, 1, 3 - the singles felt easy, so I did a little extra on the last one.  Could have ground out a 4th.
230/6

2. Pullups -overhand
wide grip: BW/10; 45/6
medium grip: 45/6, 5;  BW/14

3. Dips
100/5, 6
BW/17

Tue. 3/29, Assistance lifts

Bodyweight at gym: 197 lbs

I had the time, so I went to the gym after work and did a circuit of exercises, some of which I rarely do. 3 sets each of:
1. Front/lateral raises + face pulls
2. DB shrugs
3. DB curls - instead of resting the weight at the bottom, I held 1 arm at the top while curling the other
4. Seated calf raise
5. Seated dip machine

Fun times.

Wed. 3/29, Core lift: Deficit deadlift, 3's

Working max = 505 lbs
Bodyweight at gym = 200 lbs.  This session was preceded by a visit to a breakfast buffet.

1. Deficit deadlift - using 35 lb plates and wearing shoes instead of slippers
145/5; 215/5; 285/3
(70%) 355/3; (80%) 405/3
add belt: (90%) 455/5
(95%) 480/1, 1, 1

Fri. 3/25, It's called a "squat rack" for a reason!

I only had my route to deliver for mailman GPP today.  No overtime.  So for once on a Friday, my wife and I got to the gym with plenty of time before child watch closed.  When we got there, a younger (21-24) guy was using the squat rack and said he had 2 more sets.  Nothing wrong with that, except one thing.  He wasn't squatting.  He wasn't doing good mornings.  Not even the loathsome barbell-curls-in-the-rack routine.  He was deadlifting!  That would normally earn you respect and cool points, but this guy was doing deadlifts from the floor.  Not rack pulls where he would, by definition, need a rack to pull from.  These were full, conventional, snatch-grip deadlifts where no part of the bar was actually in contact with the rack.  But for some reason, this guy thought it was best to occupy the squat rack to do an exercise he could have done in any space large enough to accommodate the bar.  Good thing we had plenty of time.

Core lift: Squat, 3's
Working max:  425 lbs

Bodyweight before training: 199 lbs.
Warm-up: empty bar squats, good morning, RDL's, 8 reps each

1. Squat
135/5; 225/5; (70%) 297/3; (80%) 340/3
add belt: (90%) 383/3
(95%) 405/1, 1, 1
(90%) 383/6

The rack at the gym we went to today is built in such a way that I can't do my normal 3-step set-up.  I have to do a 4-step, which feels awkward.  I only had one set where I felt like I had a good, strong set-up.  Some of the descents were ugly too, but nothing felt really hard until the last set.

2. Glute-hip thrusts - with barbell
225/10; 315/10, 6

I didn't have my buddy Rob's pad that we use just for this exercise.  So I had to use the little pad that folks use for their necks, plus a shirt underneath.  Doesn't work as well as Rob's pad.  I thought the bar was going to cut me in half on the last set.

3. Prone leg curl
125/12; 100/13

4. Standing calf raise
225/12

Time: 1 hr 18 min

3/23 Training - Core lift: Overhead Press

Yesterday, I weighed 200 1/2 before training. Some of that came from the Big Steak Omelette and double blueberry pancakes I'd just eaten at IHOP.  Too bad their all-you-can-eat pancake promotion is over.

Warm-up: OHP/bar/12 reps + pulldown/100/8 reps. No mailman GPP today.

1. OHP
95/5
(70%) 120/3
(80%) 135/3
add belt: (90%) 155/6, 3, 3, 4
125/12

The rack was being used, so I had to clean the first rep of each set from the floor.  After Monday's deadlifts, this was the last thing I wanted to do.

2. Pullups - wide/overhand grip
BW/8
45/8, 6, 6 - 3rd set was done with a medium/underhand grip
BW/7

3. Seated row - plate loaded with chest pad
140/8 overhand + 5 neutral, 7 overhand + 7 neutral

Time: 53 min. Ran out of time, so I did a little more at home 4 1/2 hours later.  Powerlifting 2-a-days!

1a. Daddy/Daughter Push-ups - had my 5-year-old hop on my back. She weighs about 45 lbs.
BW/15
Daugther/12, 15, 20

1b. Ab wheel
15, 15, 15 

Squats tomorrow!

First Training Video on the Road to Raw Nats

The title of this post says it all.  If you're a fan of Michael Jackson, you'll really like this video.  If you're not a fan of his, then something must be wrong with you.

Just joking about the MJ thing - to each his or her own.  But I do hope you'll watch and enjoy the video just the same.  :)  Wave 2 starts tomorrow with overhead presses as the core lift.

How to rehab a pulled hamstring: Deficit Deadlifts

Yesterday morning around 10am, our house alarm went off.  My wife and our two children were upstairs when we heard it.  I turned to run downstairs and investigate, and somewhere in my first few steps, my hamstrings went up on me.  The left was much worse than my right, enough that I couldn't fully bend or extend my leg.  To walk up or down the stairs I had to use the rail as a crutch.  I immediately started the tried and true RICE treatment, along with some vigorous, albeit painful, massage on both legs.  I just knew that Monday's planned deadlift session was out.  I didn't even think I'd be able to go to work.

Fast forward to Sunday night:  I'd self-diagnosed the injury as a grade 1 pull.  The treatment worked well.  I was mostly pain free, and much of my range of motion had been restored.  Work was back on, but I planned to push the deadlifts back a day.  But while I was walking my route sometime on Monday, this thought came to mind:

"You don't love your job, but you love training.  If you were willing to test the leg doing something you don't love, test it doing what you love".

So once I finished my work day with 2 intact legs, it was off to the gym for my first session of this cycle based around deficit deadlifts.

Training Recap

Bodyweight at start of session: 199 1/2 lbs

Warmed up with some romanian deadlifts with the empty bar and 115 lbs.

Working max = 505 lbs

1. Deficit deadlifts - I use 35 lbs plates and wear flat soled shoes for deficits.
115/5
190/5
260/5
(65%) 330/5
(75%) 380/5
add belt: (85%) 430/7 - I had my Versa Gripps on my wrists, but didn't use them until the very last rep.  The bars at the gym I went to today are fatter than normal Olympic bars.

2. Front Squat - I haven't done these in at least a year.  Used a clean grip while holding onto straps around the bar.
135/6
225/6
add belt: 315/1 - The bar rolled forward on this one, so I re-racked it after I came back up.  I could have done another 1-2 if the bar was more stable.
225/6

The rest was done as a circuit.  12 reps of everything.  Minimal rest between each exercise.

3a. Flat DB fly
30's, 30's

3b. Standing lateral raises
15's, 15's

3c. Face pulls - cable with rope attachment
110, 110

3d. Standing calf raises
230, 210

Total time: 1 hr 3 min

Oh, by the way: the alarm at my house was a false alarm!  No intruder, just a glitch with the phone.  I'm glad that no one was in the house, but I would really be upset if I'd been more seriously injured over that.  But I'll just be grateful that everything ended in a good way.

The 2011 Arnold Sports Festival and Beyond

From March 3-6, 2011, my wife and I attended the Arnold Sports Festival for the 4th straight year.  This was the 2nd straight year I was blessed to compete in the USA Powerlifting Raw Challenge.  My training leading into it was going great, until a 5 weeks before the meet.  I was hit with a sinus infection, followed by a simultaneous bout of flu and strep throat, followed by minor injuries from a car accident.  Needless to say, my health and confidence both took a hit.  However, I rebounded with a performance that included 2 PR lifts and I tied my PR total!  Plus we got to meet Baltimore Ravens linebacker and future Hall of Famer Ray Lewis, plus many more inspiring athletes.  It was one of the best weekends ever!

Rather than take a lot of time and effort writing a recap, I'll invite you to watch this 4 minute video that tells the story of the competition and weekend.  Enjoy, and thanks for watching!

I plan to compete again in August, at the USAPL Raw Nationals in Scranton, PA.  I hope this will be my last time competing in the 198 lb weight class.  I need to gain some more weight if I'm going to realize my true strength potential.  I took a week off, then started training again on March 15.  For a few reasons, I've returned  to 5/3/1 programming, which I last used in preparation for Raw Nationals in 2009.  2 years ago, I used the program as written in Jim Wendler's original book on the subject.  This time, I'll modify the program a bit.  Most of the tweaking involves adding heavy singles as has been discussed on many boards and forums. I'll also do more than one set with the heaviest weight for the day, but not necessarily more than one set with as many reps as possible. I can see time constraints becoming an issue in the next few months because of a few things going on in real life, and these workouts tend to take less time.  By the way, the last time I ran this program, I hit a PR squat, deadlift, and total at Raw Nationals.  We'll see if lightning can strike twice.



Here's how the first week has gone...


Tue. 3/15, Core lift: Overhead Press, 5's, Working max = 170

warm-up: OHP/bar/15 reps + pulldowns/50/15 reps

1. OHP
70/5; 90/5; (65%) 111/5; (75%) 128/5
(85%) 145/9, 5, 5
120/9 - failed a 10th rep

Never felt like I hit the right groove for any of these.

2. Pullups - wide, overhand
pulldowns/100/8
BW/8; 25/6; 45/6; 25/8
BW/4 + 3 + 2 - this turned into a rest pause set. I didn't realize how tired I was. I had no gas left.

3. Dips
BW/10; 45/10; 50/9, 8
BW/12

4. Curls
DB Hammers: 45s/6 each
DB pronating: 40s/7 each
barbell: 85/6 + 65/6 - sort of a rest-pause-drop set by accident.

Total time: 1 hr 23 min

A decent first session. I could tell I'm weaker on these lifts. It could be because I haven't trained them in over a month, and it could be due to my recent weight loss. Probably a bit of both, but all that will change with time and effort. I was just glad to be back in the gym.

Thu. 3/17, Core lift: Squat, 5's, Working Max = 425 


Warm-up = walking my route (I'm a mailman for my 9-5) plus overtime

1. Squat
bar/5; 135/5; 225/5; (65%) 276/5; (75%) 319/5

add Rob's belt: (85%) 361/10 - This wass an all-time 10 rep PR!  I worked for it too. Reps 7-10 were preceded by 3-5 deep breaths for each. I felt like my muscles could take 1-2 more, but my lungs were cursing at me. Before the set, my buddy Rob saw my belt laying on my bag and said it looked "flimsy". He offered to let my try his Inzer Forever 1-prong that's 2 weeks old.

add my belt: (85%) 361/5, 5 - Rob was right about my belt. Huge difference. I'll be replacing mine soon.

2. Barbell Glute-Hip Thrusts - I'll probably abbreviate these as GHT's from now on.
135/8; 225/6; 315/8, 8, 8

3. 1-arm flat DB bench press - I'll do some pressing at every session, not always heavy
35/12 each; 50/16 each

4a. Calf press - on Cybex machine
150/15; 210/10

4b. Leg press - on the same Cybex machine
250/10; 310/13

Total time: 1 hr 43 min. I know this flies in the face of my desire to save time, but I had nothing pressing to do and ended up using the gym as a place of refuge. I was very liberal with rest periods for the whole session after that 10-rep squat set.


Fri. 3/18, Core lift: Bench Press, 5's, Working max = 265

Warm-up: mailman GPP + empty bar OHP, BB rows and BP

1. Bench press
95/5; 135/5; (65%) 172/5; (75%) 200/5; (85%) 225/6, 5, 4

This was pathetic. I expected to be somewhere in the 8-10 range on the "5 or more" set. There may be a few contributing factors: 1) I didn't sleep enough the night before. 2) I hadn't recovered from the previous day's squat workout. 3) I need to eat more. 4) My bench is doomed to suck. Who knows, but I intend to figure it out.

2. Seated cable row - Separate handles. Turned hands from pronated to neutral during each rep.
70/16; 110/13; 150/10; 190/10; 170/17

3. Seated calf press
135/15

4. Standing calf press
200/11

5. Incline DB press
70s/13; 80s/10; 90s/6

Time: 53 min 


If you made it through all that, I thank you from the depths of my heart!  But now you're all caught up with me as far as what I'm up to in this part of my life.  I hope you'll continue to keep up with me.