I have not been able to train but 1 day a week (on Saturday) the last couple weeks. I am backing to doing organized PT at 6:00 AM and it is driving me nuts! I hate doing calisthenics, endless circuits of burpees, planks, push-ups, and bodyweight lunges. I just feel myself wasting away… just counting down the days to when I can train like a man again.
T-shirts and pants are fitting looser and it is NOT because of fat loss… not cool… not cool at all…
Hot damn! 20 months later and this thing is still here? Anyway, for anybody that cares…
I was unable to really train at all in 2012. Towards the end of 2012 I was getting a lot of knee pain from running in training. I hate running, and this made me a bit disgruntled towards the department for making me run 5 miles at PT. None the less, in Janurary of this year (2013) I was got back into strength training. Its been really awesome, I forgot how much I love to train.
It took a few months to get comfortable under the bar and I was unable to perform back squats for most of the year because of the pain in my knee. I focused on front squats which did not aggravate it at all, weird I know. I just reintroduced regular squats back into my routine last week, so hopefully I can move forward with those again and beat my old PR of 415 lbs.
My lifts currently:
Bodyweight 175lbs
Front Squat: 325 x 1 (video below)
Squat: I have no idea. I’m currently using a 350 training max for percentages.
Deadlift: 430 x 4 (video below)
Bench: 265 x 1
OH Press: ~160 (strict)
My training has really consisted of variations of 5x5 styles (both linear and now started more periodization) and German Volume Training. My goal is to learn the Olympic lifts. I am easing into this slowly, I want to learn them well.
Yesterday’s training. Everything went smooth and easy. Only got 5 hours of sleep, like usual, so I was pleased with how I felt.
Warm-up, which is lengthy these days.
Protyazhka
Overhead squats (I am friggin horrible at these!)
Foam Rolling
Stretching
Garland Pose
Squat
260 x 5
260 x 5
260 x 5
260 x 5
260 x 5
Bench
155 x 5
170 x 5
180 x 5
195 x 5
205 x 5
BB Row
155 x 5
170 x 5
180 x 5
195 x 5
205 x 5
RDL
210 x 8
210 x 8
210 x 8
Face Pull
140 x 10
140 x 10
140 x 10
Ab Wheel (abs were super sore from a couple days ago)
x11
x10
Stretching
Yesterday’s training. Pretty damn easy, everything was light.
Warm-Up: POGFS (see above)
Front Squat
170 x 10
170 x 10
170 x 10
170 x 10
170 x 10
Overhead Press
115 x 5
115 x 5
115 x 5
115 x 5
115 x 5
Snatch Hi-Pulls
170 x 3
170 x 3
170 x 3
Pull-Ups
BW x 10
BW x 10
BW x 10
Some stretching.
Today. Went well, weights moved smoothly.
Warm-Up: POGFS
Squat
215 x 5
230 x 5
245 x 5
265 x 5
280 x 5
Bench
190 x 5
190 x 5
190 x 5
190 x 5
190 x 5
BB Row
190 x 5
190 x 5
190 x 5
190 x 5
190 x 5
RDL
210 x 8
210 x 8
210 x 8
Ab Wheel
15
15
13
Band Pull Aparts
3 x 50
Yesterday.
Warm-up: POGFS
Squat
285 x 5
285 x 5
285 x 5
285 x 5
285 x 5
Bench
170 x 5
185 x 5
200 x 5
210 x 5
225 x 5
BB Row
170 x 5
185 x 5
200 x 5
210 x 5
225 x 5
RDL
135 x 12
135 x 12
Face Pull
140 x 10
140 x 10
140 x 10
Ab Wheel
x15
x15
x13
Stretching
Yesterday
Warm-Up, a long one with lots of mobility and stretching.
Front Squats
175 x 10
175 x 10
175 x 10
175 x 10
175 x 10
Standing OH Press
125 x 5
125 x 5
125 x 5
125 x 5
125 x 5
Klokov Press (first time doing these, wanted to see how they were. Great exercise!)
45 x 5
65 x 5
85 x 5
95 x 5
Snatch Hi-Pull
185 x 3
185 x 3
185 x 3
Pull-Up
x11
x11
x11
Ab Wheel
15
15
15
Stretching and got a new workout from a friend. I will try it out here in about 5 weeks or so when I am done with what I am doing.
Warm-Up: POGFS
SQUAT
235x5
255x5
275x5
295x5
315x5
BENCH
210 x 5
210 x 5
210 x 5
210 x 5
210 x 5
BB Row
210 x 5
210 x 5
210 x 5
210 x 5
210 x 5
GHR
x8
x8
x5
Ab Wheel
x15
x15
Stretching and some mobility work.
I’m not going as low on my squats as I used too. I used to squat ass to grass but I’ve had a hard time getting there without lower back rounding (butt wink), so I have just been hitting parallel or right below it. Lower back feels a lot better. Good session today, diet has been really good and I have been getting a lot of quality calories which has made a big difference.
Today
Warm-up, lengthy to feel good.
SQUAT
300x5
300x5
300x5
300x5
300x5
300x5
BENCH
180x5
195x5
205x5
225x5
235x5
BB ROW
180x5
195x5
205x5
225x5
235x3 (getting very hard not to “kip” the weight)
RDLs
155x12
155x12
155x12
AB WHEEL
x15
x15
x13
Band Pull-Aparts
3x50 w/ micro mini
Stretching/Foam Rolling followed with a protein shake and donut 
Making some very good consistent progress. Other than being really tight on my rest days and my low back being fatigued, my body feels really good. I love winter too… which helps.
OH PRESS
130x5
130x5
130x5
130x5
130x5
KLOKOV PRESS
Worked up to 100x5
SNATCH HI-PULL
195x5
195x5
195x5
PULL-UPS
x12
x11
x11
Done.
Long Warm-Up
SQUAT
245x5
265x5
285x5
305x5
325x5
BENCH
220x5
220x5
220x5
220x5
220x5
ROW
185x8
185x8
185x8
185x8
185x8
GHR
x8
x8
x6
AB WHEEL
x15
x15
x15
Despite getting woke up at 3AM this morning at work for a medical call and having a headache, training went very well. Weights moved very smooth and I got all of the reps without any problems. I’ve been ramping my weights over the course of 4 week blocks which I feel has contributed to steady progress. Rows went surprisingly well, considering I’ve had an issue with kipping the weight a couple sessions ago. They were pretty strict and I think I just need to consciously focus on maintaining core abdominal pressure during the set.
Warm-up.
SQUATS
315x3
315x3
315x3
BENCH
190x3
215x3
240x3
ROW
190x3
215x3
240x3
RDLs
155x12
155x12
155x12
FACE PULLS
140x12
140x12
140x12
AB WHEEL
Weighted Vest x 12
x15
x15
Here is a video of set #2 and #3 of my squats…
OH PRESS
135x3
135x3
135x3
KLOKOV PRESS
Worked up to…
100x5
SNATCH HI-PULL
200x3
200x3
200x3
PULL-UP
x12
x11
x11
AB MACHINE THINGY
some weight for 3x12
Another solid day. Training has been going the best it has been all year long, and this whole year whole has been some very steady progress for me. Getting back into the swing of things, lifting heavy, overcoming a knee issue, and my bench is the strongest it has ever been. My squat is coming along great, and I am feeling very confident I will surpass my PR of 415 in no time.
SQUAT
265x3
295x3
330x3
BENCH
225x3
225x3
225x3
BB ROW
225x3
225x3
225x3
GHR
x8
x8
x8
FACE PULL
140x12
140x12
140x12
AB WHEEL
weighted vest x 12
weighted vest x 12
weighted vest x 12
Some great things to note for anyone struggling to get stronger. First, I want to point out that I am by no means the source of all knowledge, and I have a long way to go to reach my personal goals. I train next to some amazingly strong guys and girls-- 195 lbs guys who squat in the 500’s raw, solid, for example. So, I am humbled quite often, but more importantly I am inspired on a weekly basis.
I switched gyms back at the beginning of the year, this was huge for me. Being around like minded lifters, a much more “relaxed” atmosphere. What I mean is, not as much macho bullshit, just guys getting stronger, sharing ideas, being friendly, and just a very positive healthy atmosphere. What a great change from my old gym I used to train at.
Some things I’ve focused on this year that have really helped me.
-Starting a LOT smaller. I haven’t really cared so much about how much I’ve been pulling or pushing. Rather about challenging my FORM with a giving load. This has helped tremendously. So, I used to drive weight more with just intensity, rather than biomechanical function. I’ve reversed this and put a lot of merit on smooth movement.
-Focusing on mobility and flexibility. I’ve made this a priority and my form is better and my body feels better.
-Putting a better emphasis on upper back strength and abdominal strength. I think these are two huge weak points in people progressing in the big lifts.
-Just simply sticking to ONE style of training for a long period of time. I used to think EVERYTHING was right. Not saying it is not, its just it is better to find one thing and maximize that method for as long as possible. I’ve been presented with a lot of new methods, and I just stash them in my training binder or whatever for the future. I have not budged from simple classic 5x5 style progression for the most part.
Just some thoughts.
Today…
Warm-up…
SQUATS
320x3
320x3
320x3
BENCH
195x3
225x3
245x3
BB ROW
195x3
225x3
245x3
RDL
155x12
155x12
160x12
FACE PULLS
140x12
145x12
145x12
AB WHEEL
Weighted Vest x 12
Weighted Vest x 12
Weighted Vest x 7
Some stretching and foam rolling.
OH PRESS
140x3
140x3
135x3
KLOKOV PRESS
75x5
75x5
75x5
75x5
SNATCH HI-PULL
205x3
205x3
205x3
PULL-UP
x12
x12
x12
AB MACHINE
95x12
95x12
95x10
Stretching and foam rolling.
SQUAT
275x3
315x3
340x3
BENCH
235x3
235x3
235x3
BB ROW
235x3
235x3
235x3
GHR
x10
x10
x10
FACE PULLS
145x12
145x12
145x12
AB WHEEL
vest x 12
vest x 12
vest x 12
Found it. Strong work going on in here. I was doing a high frequency full-bodyish program like this a couple months ago. Nothing works better for my squat/deadlift strength than this kind of routine. keep up the good work!
Dig the training in here. Always enjoyed full body workouts. Our numbers are similar, you’ve got me beat on the squat, though I’m trying to get back to pre-injury levels. Also, looks like we have the same last name. Shit’s gangster.