Thanks for reading. I am logging training online for the first time because I am not competing until March, and I have a lot of new ideas I want to try.
I lift unequipped, and have done two USAPL meets. My best competition lifts are 475, 325, 535 at 220. I don’t put much stock in gym lifts, but I’ve pulled 565 in the gym and hope to be good for a much bigger pull on the platform. At my last meet in July, I made these numbers going 5 for 9 and having a generally shitty day, I think due to poor conditioning and last minute weight loss, so I want to improve this as well. My goals at my state’s championships in March are to squat 530 (my state’s record at 220 unequipped,) pull 600, and total 1480. (I guess this means benching around 350).
My training in the past has been a mishmash of stuff. I’ve had a lot of success with basic 5x5 type training, Korte’s 3x3, and other plans involving frequent squatting. But, I feel that as I approach 500 lbs., the missing ingredient is getting more comfortable with heavier lifts (405+). Doing endless sets of 5’s and 3’s with 315-365 several times a week has worked great to get my squat where it is, but the effect is diminishing and I want to see what I can do with a less frequent, more intense approach.
Again, thanks for reading and please feel free to comment, criticize, condemn, belittle, insult, advise, or question anything in here.
I’ve increased direct and indirect shoulder work a lot over the past month and they are getting beat up. I pressed 195x3 about a month ago and today stalled out about halfway up on the second rep.
But the reps went up with the same weight on the assistance work. This is a very high volume approach compared to what I am used to, so I am still adjusting to it and learning what I can tolerate.
Pause Bench (3-4 secs. on chest)
245x3
245x3
245x3
Hammer Strength Chest Press
2 plates x 10
2.5 plates x 8
2.5 plates x 5
Pec Deck
3x12
JM Press
95x12x4 sets
Pushdown
3x10
JM Presses are new for me and I’m working on getting consistent with the technique. But I had about the biggest triceps pump of my life just from doing them and the pushdowns.
[quote]Ramo wrote:
JM Presses are new for me and I’m working on getting consistent with the technique. But I had about the biggest triceps pump of my life just from doing them and the pushdowns. [/quote]
It took me forever to get good(ish) at them. Have you seen the youtube video from JM Blakely instructing how to do them correctly?
[quote]Modi wrote:
Ramo wrote:
JM Presses are new for me and I’m working on getting consistent with the technique. But I had about the biggest triceps pump of my life just from doing them and the pushdowns.
It took me forever to get good(ish) at them. Have you seen the youtube video from JM Blakely instructing how to do them correctly?
[/quote]
This was really helpful, thanks. I was not cocking the wrists or keeping my elbows particularly high. He explains a technically difficult move very well.
[quote]Ramo wrote:
Modi wrote:
Ramo wrote:
JM Presses are new for me and I’m working on getting consistent with the technique. But I had about the biggest triceps pump of my life just from doing them and the pushdowns.
It took me forever to get good(ish) at them. Have you seen the youtube video from JM Blakely instructing how to do them correctly?
This was really helpful, thanks. I was not cocking the wrists or keeping my elbows particularly high. He explains a technically difficult move very well.[/quote]
You can tell just by watching the video that he is a great coach. He demonstrations are very precise and he repeats everything over and over drilling the point home. I’ve watched that video a dozen times trying to perfect my form.
Working on descending in 3-4 seconds and staying tight instead of rebounding off my calves. Also used a thumbless grip for the first time. It lets me carry the bar a little lower.
I’ve popped in and out of here a few times in the last week and haven’t said anything because I have practically no experience with training for the purposes you do.
As I was looking over things tonight though it occurred to me that maybe you would benefit from a bit of bottom/stretch position emphasis work.
For instance for bench, take a weight that would get rough around 10 or 12 and double or triple it for several inches at the bottom before taking the concentric all the way back up.
So it would go, down, up say 6 inches and back down, up 6 inches, back down and then all the way back up, repeat.
There are dozens of ways to tailor this around and it works better for some movements than others, from one person to another and some stuff like from the deadlift family is probably not a good idea at all.
May be that it’s of no use to you, but thought I’d mention it.
[quote]Tiribulus wrote:
I’ve popped in and out of here a few times in the last week and haven’t said anything because I have practically no experience with training for the purposes you do.
As I was looking over things tonight though it occurred to me that maybe you would benefit from a bit of bottom/stretch position emphasis work.
For instance for bench, take a weight that would get rough around 10 or 12 and double or triple it for several inches at the bottom before taking the concentric all the way back up.
So it would go, down, up say 6 inches and back down, up 6 inches, back down and then all the way back up, repeat.
There are dozens of ways to tailor this around and it works better for some movements than others, from one person to another and some stuff like from the deadlift family is probably not a good idea at all.
May be that it’s of no use to you, but thought I’d mention it. [/quote]
Yeah especially in the bench, the bottom end is where I’m weak. I’ve tried to address it with the pauses where I hold the bottom position for around a 4 count. (I normally pause all my benches like competition benches also).
I’m planning to start working in some dumbbell bench work as an accessory. Pausing these, and doing the 1.5 rep technique like you’re talking about might help alot. When I’ve done these before, though, it drastically limited how much weight I could use. Which maybe indicates it’s something that needs attention.
Had the discipline to take a deloading day. My joints are a little beat up and I had planned to take a down week last week. Next Saturday I will plan to work to a heavy triple or five.
Cable/Rope Thing involves a cable and a rope. From the low pulley station, I do an upright row into sort of a cuban press with the rope. It makes my shoulders feel good…they’re kind of beat up. This movement always felt good but I’ve gotten away from it lately.
