7/11/16 - back to some close stance sumo for a bit. It seems to lend improvements to conventional and it’s not as hard on my back as conventional either.
Close Stance Sumo (hook grip, all sets 2 minute rest periods)
95x3
135x3
225x3
315x3
405x2
500x2
565x1
585x1
585x1
585x1
585x1
585x1
Pull Ups
x12
x12
x7 failure here
x7 and again failure
Lying Leg Raise/Side Plank SS
x20/x60s
x20/x60s
x20/x60s
7/13/16
Close Grip Bench
45x8,8
135x5
185x5
225x12
225x12
225x12
225x10 failure here, but these sets are a big volume PR for close grip so i’m pleased.
Z Press
185x8
185x8
185x8 hit failure here but had to up the rest periods to about 4 minutes for these because of how fatigued my triceps were.
Side Laterals (one arm at a time)
40x15
40x15
40x15 haven’t went heavy on these in forever. smoked my side delts.
7/15/16
Front Squat with bands
135x3,3
135+110lbs bands x3
185+110lbs bands x3
275+110lbs bands x3
365+110lbs bands x1
405+110lbs bands x1,x1,x1,x1 shut it down at 4 sets. The weight at the top was pretty fucking heavy and I was shaking like mad. I did hold it at the top of the last rep for about 25 seconds. Scary, but very challenging and the taxing it gives on the upper back is tremendous.
Fortunately driving with the legs out of the hole felt pretty easy. I will try a 3x3 or 4x3 (3 reps) with 405 dead weight on fronts soon.
Log Cleans (one motions/viper press)
110x3,3,3
160x3
210x2
240x2 really shitty, not sure why
250x2 first was super easy, but the second my right hamstring kind of pulled on me, or cramped. Either way it was one of the slowest strict presses i’ve ever done hahaha.
Step ups to 13 inches
135x10
135x10
135x10
135x10
Lying Leg Raise
x15
x15
x15
x15
no sound because jimi hendrix 
7/17/16 - The timed rest periods for today made stuff suck but really I think this is what I need ot be doing to get better at carries. Not resting so long and working with manageable weights.
Farmers (drops and repick at halfway, 2 min rest timed on each set)
170x50’
210x50’
260x50’
260x50’
260x50’
260x50’
260x50’
Bent Row
225x20
225x20
225x20
Band Pull Apart
x15
x15
x15
7/19/16 - Heavy ass log out of the rack for multiple sets and reps. This comes second to front squats in the worst exercises to do heavy for multiple sets. Was on the verge of passing out on every single, but somehow managed to stay conscious long enough to stick the presses. BW 231
Log (out of rack)
110x3,3
200x2
250x1
300x1 blacked out and didnt really stick the lockout but counting it anyway
300x1 extremely shitty press but I didn’t pass out OR drop it, was able to rerack
300x1 great press but I dropped it
300x1 best one yet, and I reracked.
300x1 bad
300x1…good
300x4 WTF?! Ties a PR. I just got a second wind and said fuck it this weight is MINE. Definitely had 5 fresh.
There’s something to be said about training heavy log often. It’s a very meticulous movement and it’s very daunting but I became less nervous as the session unfolded. I think learning to trust your ability to press the weight gives you more mental room to focus on staying up right and driving from a solid base. At least for me, the aforementioned helps immensely. A tough standard today, but I knew I had it in me.
Close Grip Incline Axle
245x8 PR, or this is a weight I only got for 6 last time I did this.
drop set
225x7 went for 8 and got pinned lol
175x16
Did some random shoulder rok style stuff
x12
x12
x12
x12
Side Lateral w/ band
x25
x25
x30
7/21/16
Front Squats
135x3,3
225x3
275x3
365x1
405x3 on the toes, really need to have confidence with this weight since it really isn’t that heavy for me anymore.
405x3 agan, feeling very light on the chest but need to trust myself to dive into the hole better.
405x4 fuck yeah, ties a PR and doing this as a final set really boosts my confidence with FS.
Axle Power Clean (double overhand)/Pull Up/Tire Flip Medley (90 second rest periods)
175x3/ BWx8, 700x3
225x3/ BWx8, 700x3
225x3/ BWx8, 700x3
225x3, BWx8, 700x3
225x3, BWx8, 700x3
225x3, BWx8, 700x3
Lying Leg Raise
x15
x15
x15
Frog Crunch
x15
x15
x15
7/23/16
Stiff Leg Deads (sumo)
135x5
225x3
315x3
405x10
405x10
405x10
405x10
Hamstring Curls
x15
x15
x15
x15
Barbell Walks (up and down hill)
95lbs x 1000 feet called it here
Sandbag Carry
205x200ft
205x200ft
205x200ft
205x100ft hamstring cramp plus I was actually dying, pretty sure of it, so I turned around and put it back.
One of the hardest workouts I’ve done in a very long time. However, I didn’t give a shit at all while doing it, I was just stoic and clear headed. I know for a fact my body was pushed hard.
bw is 233 for the above workout
7/25/16 - I am currently experiencing the worst DOMS in my hamstrings i’ve ever felt. I can’t even slightly pitch forward without serious pain. This will take at least a week before I’m back to normal, pretty hilarious. Also, not sure if it’s just the heat, but I’m strangely very vascular for my bodyweight currently. It’s cool to see road maps on the biceps when you don’t even train them. This winter I am not going to be bulking to 240 like usual, I’m feeling very fit compared to the old me, so things seem pretty sharp at the moment. Have to find a contest soon.
Anyway, originally did some regular bench to 275 but it felt strange so I just did NORMAL grip incline.
Incline Bench
135x5
225x3,3
275x5 had a few more in me but no spotter and reracking is super precarious
225x10
225x10
225x7 might take this for 3x10 in the future, don’t see why I couldnt hit it today.
Strict Overhead Press (axle)
180x10
180x10
180x10 super hard grinder on the last rep
Side Lateral
x15
x15
x15
x15
Face pull
x15
x15
x15
Barbell Walks
95x1000ft
115x1150ft, okay this was misery. 95 feels like nothing, but once I get to half bodyweight it really makes a difference.
7/27/16 - Couple of things to mention in a preamble for todays training. Number one is that my hamstring DOMS are still awful and walking is still an issue. Two, I tore a nice fucking hole in my ring finger on my right hand. I was putting stuff in the dishwasher and as I took my hand out (really fast and abruptly) the tip of my finger caught onto a really sharp piece of metal that has no business being on the inside of a dish washer…I could probably use stitches but it’s too late now. Ended up using straps on the front squats and it kind of made things harder. Good day in spite of the BS.
EMOM for 10 minutes: Pause Front Squat (no belt) @300lbs x 2 reps
Yoke
270x70’
360x70’
belt on
450x70’
550x70’
620x70’ this felt good, decent speed and not too heavy.
belt off
440x70’
440x70’
440x70’
7/29/16 - Did a bunch of light farmers but it ended up feeling like ass. My knees hurt, my feet hurt and my finger is fucked up so holding onto the weights is just awkward. Oh well! Adjusting period backing onto moving events is going to take some time. Bw@231
Farmers (turn at half)
170x100ft
170x100ft
180x100ft
180x100ft
180x100ft
180x100ft
180x100ft
I kept adjusting variables because nothing felt right. I had a slightly set-back grip from center, and slightly forward from center at times. I tried with and without a belt. The moving felt much easier without a belt, even a soft one, but the pick felt a bit slower, even with low weight. I will definitely work with these kinds of weights more often. I feel like heavy walks are just too easy and going moderate distances with a turn is actually more difficult.
Pull Ups
x10
x10
x10
x10
x10
Honestly just stopped here, feeling a bit beat from yoke and farmers. Got deads this week and I need to heal my hamstring up a bit more.
7/31/16
Log: max reps in 60 seconds
230x6 reps in 39 seconds and I had a miscommunication with the person timing so I stopped and it was too late to even attempt more. However, I definitely had 7 or 8 reps in the total time. It’s very difficult to approximate though because there’s so many variables in play that can add up.
230x7 in like 1:45 seconds this was god awful. So spent. Wish the heat index wasn’t 100+/40c constantly but also then again i love it for making me hate my training.
Hang Clean to Strict Press (axle, clean every rep)
140x8
185x7 really wanted 8 but I just was dying
160x8
145x8
Side Laterals
x15
x15
x15
x15
8/2/16 - It has been quite some time since I’ve went max effort on front squats with straight weight so today was the day to test it. My knees have been bugging me and the hamstring is pretty messed up but I just felt like I’ve been working so hard at my front squat lately that I knew I had something big to show for. Definitely made it happen.
Front Squat
135x3,3,3
225x3
275x3
365x1
405x1
425x4 PR! The first rep my vision went blurry and all crooked, but each rep was so powerful. Closing in on 5 plates that’s for damn sure.
Tire (one motion flips on every rep)
700x70ft no rest between reps.
700x70ft again no rest, probably totaling about 12 flips. Hard.
Lying Leg Raise
x15
x15
x15
DB Side Bend
x15
x15
x15
Forgot to mention I did landmines after all that. Fucking love those.
Hell yea man! 500 in no time
Huh, I have the same issue if you’ve seen one of my squatting videos. I have scoliosis (mild so it’s pain free) so it might be the cause for me. Do you have scoliosis/any weird imbalances like that? I know some people have a leg that is longer than the other sometimes too.
Also nice work on the squats and pressing, Vinny.
Holy crap that’s a crazy front squat. Great work dude!
@Destrength I watched that somewhat recent 405 squat set you did and you looked super smooth as far as integrity of form under heavy weight goes. Can’t say I’m the same and on top of that, to answer your question, I have nasty twisted hips and my left femur is basically shoved up into the socket and of course a plethora of imbalances branches off from that one. Scoliosis being one of them, although at this point I’ve coped with it very sagaciously and successfully so it doesn’t limit me very much. Me 3 years ago however…I was mentally crippled from it. I felt like I would never progress and it goes without saying that is has not encumbered me much at all. Anyway thanks for the kind words, always perusing your log and you are doing wonders yourself.
8/4/16 - Obligatory preamble of excuses to preface my deadlift PR day: My dog kept me up all night sick with liquid ass, and so while I don’t think it affected me physically as much mentally, I still just felt shaky and dizzy. Clearly strength is improving on pulls, even if it’s sumo and doesn’t count.
Deadlift (sumo, all sets hook grip): bw@231
135x5,5
225x3
315x1
405x1
500x1
585x1 and this is where I knew I had something big. It just flew up like a speed rep. Funny note, I loaded 675 with a bumper and it looked like I had 1100lbs on the bar, but told myself “wow that looks incredibly ridiculous, considering I don’t wanna be that guy who pulls a sub 700 deadlift PR with a freakish mass of rubber plates extended to the end of the sleeves.”
655x1 big ass PR. A year ago I pulled a SUPER slow max single with 585. The improvements are real. I’m not @T3hPwnisher or @Alpha status on deadlifts yet but I am trying and they’re keeping me driven.
Honestly, just fucking stopped right there. Believe it or not I was scared to death of my hamstring because it’s been agonizingly tight since those insane stiff legs I did not long ago. Turned out I did get a nasty adductor cramp after the 655 pull but oh well.
