2014 Training Log

I am starting this 2014 Training Page early, as my training now will affect the first meet I compete in next year (Feb 8 Can Am Push Pull). The meet will not be full power, but a "Push/Pull" or Bench and Dead lift.

I hope to hit 385-405lb on the bench and 545-565lb on the dead lift.
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Training 12.1.13  Bdy Weight 270lb

Squats

Leg Extension: Barx50, 45lbx30
LB Squats: 145x10, 235x8, 285x6, 325x6,6,6,4
Leg Extension: 35x10, 70x10, 105x10, 140x10, 175x10

Shoulders:
Seated Military Press(MP): Barx20, 95x10, 135x10, 185x6 (L arm/shoulder still bugging me)
F/S/R Laterals: 15lb x a whole lot

Abs:
2x20
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Training 12.2.13

Back and Shoulders

Pendlay Rows: 135x10, 225x8, 275x8, 315x8, 225x8
Shoulder Press: 95x10, 135x10, 185x6
One Arm Cable Rows: 120x12, 150x8
Machine Shoulder Press: 2 platesx10, 4 Plates x 10, 6 Plates x8, 7 Plates x3
Laterals: 15lb x very many
Close Grip Bench: 225 x10, 10, 10
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1.1.14
I spend quite a bit of time reviewing the past year, where I predominately trained Power Lifting style. Due to past injuries and muscle imbalances, I have proven to myself by time under the bar, that I need more reps than most lifters and I also need to incorporate a larger than normal percentage of unilateral work. This will be accomplished in 2014 by implementing Dumb Bell work and single leg movements, typically following a compound movement, such as Flat Bench Press or Back Squats, Dead lifts, ec.

Here is my work out for the year. I will scale it back bit by bit if the volume is too much for me. As always, I am life time drug free and a raw lifter. Raw means no belt, no knee or wrist wraps, no straps, no bench or squat suit.

·         WO 1:

o   Warm Up*

o   Back Squats**

o   DL**

·         WO 2:

o   Warm Up*

o   Bench**

o   Pull Ups**

o   Incline D-Bells

o   DB Rows

o   DB Extensions

o   DB Curls

·         WO 3:

o   Warm Up*

o   Fat Burn

o   Optional Single Leg Accessories****

o   Fore Arms

·         WO 4:

o   Warm Up*

o   Squats**

o   DL**

·         WO 5:

o   Warm Up*

o   Pull Ups**

o   Incline D-Bells

o   DB Rows

o   DB Extensions

o   DB Curls

·         WO 6:

o   Warm Up*

o   Fat Burn

o   Optional Single Leg Accessories****

o   Fore Arms

·         WO 7:

o   Repeat WO 6 or sub: Shoulders/Arms

*Warm Up= 10min Stair Stepper, 4 Sets Abs, 4 Sets Laterals, 4 sets Leg Extensions, 4 Sets GG’s or Leg Curls

**Work to a medium-heavy Single, followed by 1 set to failure or 2 total sets of one of the following rep rages: 15, 12, 10, 8, 6

***Rest 1-3 min between sets W/ankle stretch, super set calf raises on all sets, energy dependent

****Include single leg movements of Extensions, Leg Curls, Leg Press, 12-20 reps, Right Leg always first

You can see that this WO plan is tailored to my personal set of past injuries, namely my L arm and R leg along with my propensity to develop faster when incorporating higher volume. 

Should I become fatigued, or fail to recover enough between work outs, my plan is to continue with the same work out routine, just scale down the weights to fit my recovery at the point in time and increase the stretching movements for the day.

Thanks for the read, 

BDS

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1.1.14 Work Out 1 (WO 1)

First WO (WO 1) of 2014 felt great. Still nursing my L shoulder.

All Raw Lifts, no belt or wraps. Bdy wght 275lb

Warm Up

Back Squat:

·             135x 6

·            185x6

·            225x6

·            275x3

·            315x1 (About here I can start to approach legal depth)

·            365 x 1, 1

·            275 x 15, 15 (These too some heavy breathing)

Dead Lift:

·            135 x 3

·            185 x 3

·            225 x 3

·            275 x 3

·            315 x 3

·            365 x1

·            405 x1

·            455 x 1 (Rounded my back)

·            315 x 20 (Killed it)

Fore Arms

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1.2.14

Warm UP

Bench:

·         135 x 10 x 2

·         185 x 6

·         225 x 6

·         275 x 4

·         315 x 1

·         345 x 1 (Fairly Smooth)

·         275 x 11, 11 ( Working on 12’s)

Single Arm Rows

·         1 Plate x 12

·         2 Plates x 8

·         3 Plates x 6, 6, 6

Incline DBell Press

·         105’s x 12,12

Single Arm Pull Downs

·         80 x 12, 12, 12

Single Arm Cable Extensions

·         35 x 15 x 2 ea

DBell Curls

·         35 x 12,12

*Still Nursing my L shoulder, getting really aggravated with it. But trying to play it safe and nurse it back to health.

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1.5.14

Warm UP

Back Squat

·         145 x 10, 10

·         195 x 6

·         235 x 10

·         285 x 5

·         325 x 5

·         375 x 1 (hit parallel fairly well today)

·         285 x 15 (smoked it)

Dead Lift

·         155 x 5

·         205 x 5

·         245 x 5

·         295 x 3

·         335 x 3

·         395 x 3

·         425 x 2 (felt strong)

·         335 x 15, 11 (felt fast off the floor)

Forgot about forearms

*Overall felt really, really good today. Very little L knee, L shoulder, or R lower back pain. At my age/level of damage, a day without pain is a very good day indeed.

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1.6.14

Warm Up

·             Stair Stepper is getting easier

Bench

·             135 x 10, 8

·            185 x 8

·            225 x 6

·            275 x  3

·            315 x 1 ( good speed off chest)

·            365 x 1 (with pause, felt smooth and steady)

·            280 x 12, 12 (second set always feels better for some reason)

Pull Ups with Dips

·            Bdy wt (275) x 8/15

·            W/hvy chain 8/15, 7/20

Single Arm Rows

·            3 Plates for 3 x 8

Single Arm Pull Downs

·            3 x 8 with 110lbs

Close Grip Bench

·            245 x 12, 8, 6

Fore Arms

·            Reverse Curls 45lb 2 x 15

*Another work out where my shoulder felt pretty good, felt like I can go higher than 365lb for my med/heavy single…shoulder a little sore when all done and a little bit this morning.

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1.9.14

**This is my fill in work out. I am in Traverse City 1-2 days per week and I need to hit the main lifts as my schedule or pain may dictate my off days, etc. It is tough to get through, but I manage. When in TC I work out at The B Fitness Club; which is not as good as Howell Fitness but pretty good.

Warm Up

Back Squat

·         135 x 10, 10

·         185 x 8

·         225 x 8

·         275 x 6 (full depth begins here)

·         315 x 1

·         365 x 1

·         385 x 1 (felt good and smooth)

·         295 x 12, 9

Dead Lift

·         185 x 6

·         225 x 4

·         275 x 4

·         315 x 4

·         365 x 1

·         401 x 1

·         455 x1 (felt smooth and good, best in a while)

·         365 x 15, 12

Flat Bench

·         Bar x many

·         135 x 10

·         225 x 8

·         275 x 5

·         315 x 3

·         345 x 1

·         365 x 1 (was dragging by this point, but went up smooth)

·         285 x 12, 9

·         225 x 12

Fore arms: 3 x 15…I use a 25lb plate that I hold on the outer edge in a pinch grip and perform hammer curls…really hits the upper forearms at the inside elbow insertion point…those muscles really help to stabilize/protect your elbows in heavy presses and pulls.
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1.12.14

This was one of those Good and Bad work outs….felt great, beginning was good, middle was good, ending…eh, no so much…

*Warm UP

Back Squat

·         135 x12

·         185 x 10

·         225 x 8

·         275 x 6 (Full Depth starts here for me)

·         315 x 1

·         365 x 1

·         395 x 1 (Hit Parallel. In October meet I white lighted 365 and just missed 405, so this felt good to get)

·         295 x 15 (This took quite a bit out of me, more than it should have maybe)

Dead Lifts

·         225 x 3

·         275 x 3

·         315 x 1

·         365 x 1

·         405 x 1 (felt great to this point)

·         475..…..and…..FAIL…lol, WTH?

·         455 x 1 (Ground it out)

·         Thought I would give 465 a go, got all ready, flew it off the floor…knew instantly we had not put the 4^th 45lb plates on…derp a derp….decided to call it a day after that…lol.

Some time you win some,  some time you lose some…sometimes you do both in the same day! I hate missing lifts I have found, I mean really hate it. I know I will be on a mission now to CRUSH 475lb in training!

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1.13.14

Yesterday was a bummer, despite the squat progress with the miss and all. But, I will just compartmentalize and move on. Today turned out well, despite work off the hook…worked before work, worked on the way to work, worked at work, took a break and ahem…worked out, then went home and worked…then prepped for my extra-long work day tomorrow… J

Anyhoo…

Warm Up

Flat Bench

·         Bar x many

·         135 x 12

·         185 x 10

·         225 x 8

·         275 x 6

·         315 x 1 (This flew up, perhaps the lightest 315 has ever felt. 315 has always “felt heavy” on my joints despite however many times I get it…today…it felt like about 250)

·         375 x 1 (Nice and smooth, was not easy, but had no doubt I would get it during the whole lift. My best lift at the last meet was 380…so I am liking this)

·         295 x 10, 10 (no problem here either)

Pull Ups/D Bells

·         Bdy weight (275 x 9, 10, 10) on pull ups

·         Flat Bench D-bells 100’s x 17, 15, 15

Single Arm Rows/Dips

·         Single Arm Pull downs 110 x 10, 10, 10

·         Dips 20, 20, 20, 20

·         T-Bar Single Arm Rows 3 plates x 10, 10, 10

Triceps/Fore Arms

·         Close Grip Bench 240 x 8, 8, 8

·         Strict Reverse Curls 25’s x 25, 25, 25

Shoulder felt good, good to have a good work out after that damn miss Sunday.

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1.14.15 “Health and Assistance” 1.15.14: OFF Day

I feel a little proud I did not skip my Health and Assistance Work Out. I now prefer “Health and Assistance” over “Cardio” or even “Conditioning” as it mentally puts the motivation in the right place for me.

In other words I am performing certain exercises to maintain/improve my general health so I can be around longer for my family and staff/clients that depend on me….versus, “hey you have to do cardio because it burns fat and you suck at it and well; your fat!”

Same concept for “Assistance” work…I am doing it to make the lifts I actually enjoy doing better; not because I have a muscle weakness or imbalance or anything crazy like that nonsense because that cannot be true!

Communication 101…..Delivery method of same/similar message is make or break….don’t believe? Ask your significant other J

Warm Up

35 minutes of stair stepper and treadmill…actually ran about 0.5 miles…if you call 5 minutes of a stumbling Clydesdale “running”

Good Girl/Bad Girl Machine: some weight x bunch of sets x many reps

8 Sets of Abs

·         4 sets of incline crunches with 60lb Dbell on ches

·         4 sets of hanging leg raises, various leg/foot positions

Couple sets of light bench to work out stiffness

8 Sets of rotator cuff exercises with 5-15lbs x 20-40 reps

Stretch

I was in Traverse City, so had an extra-long day so was glad I forced myself into the gym.

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1.26.14

Had some down time due to work and family.

Squats:

·         Warm UP

·         145 x 10

·         195 x 8

·         235 x 6

·         285 x 3

·         325 x 1

·         375 x 1

·         415 x 1…new PR

·         315 x 12…this was tough for, all reps were to  depth.

Dead Lift

·         155 x 6

·         195 x 3

·         245 x 3

·         295 x 3

·         335 x 2

·         385 x 1, 1

·         435 x 1

Felt good for 1^st day back. Still not wearing a belt. Followed up with some core work and planks.

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1.27.14 "Health and Assistance" Day 

Body weight still holding around 275lb

1 mile on tread mill, walk and run...wounded Wildabeast style
Many sets x many reps with up to the stack on good girl/bad girl machines
12 sets of abs, weighted, with roller of pain, hanging leg raise etc.
Stretches 
Rotator Cuff exercises
Light leg work...

Felt good, glad I did not skip it!
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1.29.14 Dead Lift and Bench

It’s been over a week since last bench and was a bit worried I had lost some ground, also my Dead lift has been “appearing” to be losing ground. In reality I have been Dead Lifting following killer back squats, so is really just a muscle fatigue factor….as we saw today…..

DL

·         135 x 4

·         225 x 4

·         275 x 3

·         315 x 2

·         365 x 2

·         405 x 2

·         455 x 2

·         475 x 1…went up nice and smooth, buried me after squats two weeks ago

Flat Bench

·         135 x 10

·         225 x 8

·         275 x 4

·         315 x 1

·         385 x 1…5lbs more than last meet, no lift off, wasn’t light but moved of chest quick and felt confident I would get it.

·         315 x 5, 5

·         225 x 12

Trap Bar Dead Lifts

*First time trying these. Been watching Kostinov’s videos and he does these regularly, so I thought what the hell.

·         275 x 4

·         365 x 4

·         455 x 2

·         545 x fail, fail, and bam got it…

Pretty stoked, first time moving over 500lb on anything other than shrugs. I liked how the trap bar let me get more of my legs in the pull. This the first dead lift movement I have “grinded” out due to being over protective of my low back….or being fearful…both probably true. Maybe this will help me get past the 5 plate stigma on conventional pulls and get me to where I think I should be right now….pulling 500+ regularly in gym workouts.

So, all in all, a good day. I have a Push/Pull (Bench/Dead lift) meet on Feb 8 that I was not sure about attending due to my lousy dead lifts lately and sore shoulder…but it looks like I am good for a bench PR and 875lb total, with a shot at 900lbs…we will see

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1.31.14 Assistance Day

·         Dead Lift…worked up to 315 x 3 x 3…just to work the kinks out

·         Flat Bench…worked up to 315 x 3 x 3….see above

·         4 x 8 Pull Ups

·         Light Leg Work…Good girl/Bad girl machine…Single Leg Curls

·         Single Arm Rows and Pull downs….work up to 130  x 8 ea. Arm

·         5 Sets of weighted hanging leg raises for abs

·         Barbell curls…worked up to 135lb x 5

*Good Pump, just needed to hit it all and see how I felt…still trying to hit my stride on my work out routine despite the previous planning I have done.

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2.2.14 Squat and Dead Lifts

*Grinding out that 540lb this week tweaked my back a little. Still good to train but with a meet 1 week away I decided to get my work in and save my back.

Squats

·         Worked up to 375lb for a double to depth and finished with 325lb for 6.

Dead Lifts

·         Worked up to 405lb for an easy single

*Nothing spectacular and could have done more, but I want to heal up and give my best on 2.8.14. For the rest of the week will just most likely do light assistance work, abs, and light arms.

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3.3.14 Update

So with my less than awesome showing at the meet 2.8.14 I have looked hard at my training and have worked out a KISS game plan...Keep It Simple Stupid. I will write a new post in upcoming days.

I have been consistent with my WO's, hitting about 3-4/week.

Having recently gone to the Dr. for my check up...I will also begin to work on peeling a few of my winter layers for general health reasons.

Nothing too exciting in this post.

I did hit squats yesterday and hit 325lb for 3 sets of 8. So, I move up next week to 335. I will feel like I have gotten somewhere when I hit 365lb for 3x8.
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