Caged tiger progresses like a turtle

[stanley_white]

Nice. finding what works for you and getting stronger slow and steadily. That's the name of the game.

Thank you MeatPlow!

-Stan

[stanley_white]

04 June 2014 (weight in pounds)

5 minutes warm-up on rowing machine.

DL: 135x3; 225x3; 275x3; 297.5 for five ladders of 1-2-3

Notes:

Superset pull-ups with ladders.

When I attended the RTS seminar earlier this year Mike Tuchscherer encouraged me to get my lats more involved in my DL. I tried to do what he told me but it just didn't click at the time. This morning it clicked. See below for a Mike Tuchscherer DL video where he discusses lat engagement.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dm7ZbgjZklE

I need to determine what is optimum for me regarding how much lower my ass is than my shoulders when I DL. I am happy to report that this morning what Mike Tuchscherer encouraged me to do came together. I am unhappy to report that it engaged my lats so much that it was slightly off-putting. I hypothesize that engaging my lats more will give me more strength / endurance in the long run as the DL won't be 100% lower-back focused. Additionally, engaging the lats is something that may simply have to happen as I add weight to the bar. It is interesting how many lifters seem to come to similar conclusions as the weight increases. RPE was 8.

I am skipping my third session this week as Friday I am traveling to Topeka, KS to hang out with Phil Stevens at his gym as well as attend a Donnie Thompson Mobility / Recovery seminar. Thus I am officially behind one press / squat session which I will complete prior to my intensity cycle.

Here is a link to the seminar:

http://strengthguild.com/blog/donnie-th ... d-package/

[syaigh]

When I switched to a modified sumo pull, I traded in knee and low back pain for lat and glute engagement. Which was awesome, but at first would routinely result in my lats seizing up suddenly and violently from turning and reaching for stuff, so much so that it would make it hard to breathe. :) But, its awesome. Feel so much stronger with the lats working for me instead of my back extensors.

[stanley_white]

When I switched to a modified sumo pull, I traded in knee and low back pain for lat and glute engagement. Which was awesome, but at first would routinely result in my lats seizing up suddenly and violently from turning and reaching for stuff, so much so that it would make it hard to breathe. :) But, its awesome. Feel so much stronger with the lats working for me instead of my back extensors.

Thank you for that syaigh. As always it is good to know I am not alone in my experiences.

-Stan

[stanley_white]

08 June 2014 (weight in pounds)

I traveled to Topeka, Kansas for a weekend with Donnie Thompson and Phil Stevens.

Phil Stevens helped me out a lot with my deadlift form which resulted in a 405lb one rep max PR.

My previous PR was 375 for three reps.

-Stan

[syaigh]

Nice!

[stanley_white]

Nice!

Thank you syaigh!

-Stan

[stanley_white]

12 June 2014 (weight in pounds)

5 minutes warm-up on the rowing machine

Military Press: 45x3; 95x3; 129 for five ladders of 1-2-3

Squat: 135x3; 185x3; 205 for five ladders of 1-2-3

Notes:

Superset pull-ups with all ladders.

Military press and squat RPE was 8.

Today felt awesome all around. The bar was one hole lower on the rack for both exercises and I think this helped my hand position during setup on the military press and scapular retraction during setup on the squat. My squat form was MUCH better and had no good-morning-ish tendencies due to form fixes from Phil Stevens and Jude Howe.

[stanley_white]

16 June 2014 (weight in pounds)

Five minute warm-up on the rowing machine.

Military Press: 45x3; 95x3; 130.5 for five ladders of 1-2-3

DL: 135x3; 225x3; 300 for five ladders of 1-2-3

Notes: Superset pull-ups with all ladders. I lost ROM going to adam's apple above bar on the 4th DL ladder. No big deal as I still got my chin above the bar.

RPE for both exercies was 8.5 as I really shortened the rest periods today. Starting the bar at one hole lower on the rack helps A LOT on the military press. The DL corrections from Phil Stevens are really coming together.

[stanley_white]

18 June 2014 (weight in pounds)

Five minute warm-up on the rowing machine.

Squat: 45x3; 135x3; 185x3; 207.5 for five ladders of 1-2-3

Notes: Superset pull-up ladders. RPE 8.5. My rest periods are getting shorter as I improve both work capacity and confidence.

[stanley_white]

20 June 2014 (weight in pounds)

Five minute warm-up on the rowing machine.

Military Press: 45x3; 95x3; 130.5 for five ladders of 1-2-3

DL: 135x3; 225x3; 300 for five ladders of 1-2-3

Notes: Superset pull-ups with all ladders.

With the recent events in Iraq today's evolution was a rage-filled event as I tried to exorcise some demons. I shortened the rest periods and worked up to an RPE of 9 or 9.5.

[stanley_white]

23 June 2014 (weight in pounds)

5 minutes warm-up on the rowing machine.

Military Press: 45x3; 95x3; 132 for five ladders of 1-2-3.

Squat: 45x3; 135x3; 185x3; 210 for five ladders of 1-2-3.

Notes: Superset pull-up ladders. RPE 8.5. Holy shit I am tired as I slept terribly last night.

[stanley_white]

25 June 2014 (weight in pounds)

5 minutes warm-up on the rowing machine.

DL: 135x3; 225x3; 302.5 for five ladders of 1-2-3

Notes: Superset pull-up ladders. RPE 8.5. I need to make my DL lean back repeatable. I need to slow down on each rep, lean back until I feel like I am about to fall, then pull.

[stanley_white]

27 June 2014 (weight in pounds)

90 second warm-up on the rowing machine.

Military Press: 45x3; 95x3; 132 for five ladders of 1-2-3.

Squat: 45x3; 135x3; 185x3; 210 for five ladders of 1-2-3.

Notes: Superset pull-up ladders. RPE 8.5. Today's workout was at 2pm vice 5am which was a huge, very nice difference in energy level.

[stanley_white]

I saw a doctor today as I thought I had a broken toe. It was not broken but badly bruised.

While I was there I had my vitals taken and they are the best they have ever been in years.

Resting pulse was 57.

Blood pressure was 110 over 72.

The interesting part is that right now I am 202lbs at six feet tall and this time one year ago I was at 175lbs. Some days I am eating everything in sight, not all of it good, and I am not doing that much cardio, maybe 30 minutes of long slow distance running every other week. Thank you structured strength template!

-Stan

[stanley_white]

30 June 2014 (weight in pounds)

5 minutes warm-up on the rowing machine.

Military Press: 45x3; 95x3; 133.5 for five ladders of 1-2-3.

DL: 135x3; 225x3; 305 for five ladders of 1-2-3.

Notes: Superset pull-ups. Military Press RPE was 8.5. DL RPE was 9 because I shortened the rest periods to get home due to childcare commitments.

[stanley_white]

02 July 2014 (weight in pounds)

Five minute warm-up on the rowing machine.

Squat: 45x3; 135x3; 185x3; 212.5 for five ladders of 1-2-3.

Notes: Superset pull-up ladders. RPE 8.5. I did not sleep well last night and my squat form today suffered. I am friggin tired. My stomach is upset as well. On days like this I need to make sure I bring my iPod. I am seriously thinking about skipping Friday's military press and deadlift session. Next week begins my two week intensity cycle and I am excited!

[stanley_white]

I skipped Friday's planned military press and deadlift session as I felt beat-up and tired.

Two week intensity cycle begins tomorrow morning at 5am.

-Stan

[stanley_white]

07 July 2014 (weight in pounds)

Intensity cycle week one of two.

5 minute warm-up on the rowing machine.

Press: 45x3; 45x3; 95x3; 95x3; attempted 155x3 which would have been a 4.5lb increase on my previous PR but failed. The bar moved only a few inches. I then dropped to 145 and executed 145x3 at an RPE of 10.

Fatigue Drop of 8% gets me to 134lbs -- 134x3; 134x3; 134x3; 134x3 at an RPE of 10.

Notes: RPE of 10 got me 4.5lbs less than previous PR. However, I am now doing military press with feet at a 45 degree angle vice overhead press with feet shoulder width apart which may have something to do with it. My RPE 10 set at 145lbs was only ten pounds more than my next volume cycle would have of been which is odd. I think I may have messed up my warm-up sets today and not gone heavy enough. Jumping from 95x3 to 155x3 was likely an error. Next time I shall do 45x3; 95x3; 95x3; 125x3; then attempt the PR.

Additional Note: Intensity weeks are now truly a mind fuck for me. I do so much volume during my volume phase that even working up to an RPE of 10 twice within a session during an intensity session leaves my body wanting more. Weird.

[Shafpocalypse Now]

OK. Saw your text at midnight. Figured I wouldn't reply then.

DL bars vs Non DL bars.

Basically, if you pull a max on a DL specific bar, then pull it on a regular gym bar, you can consider that a PR...the equipment is different. HOWEVER, there are certain types of lifters that get a LOT more out of the whippy DL bars than others. Being a regular type guy with a big ass dick, you probably have a 10-20 # difference at most. Phil S, however, may have a 30-50 lb difference, as might others. If you trained a lot with a the DL bar, you would probably increase that difference. Or if you are have a super strong surge start, the DL bar can by good to you.

[stanley_white]

09 July 2014 (weight in pounds)

5 minutes warm-up on the rowing machine.

Squat: 45x3; 95x3; 145x3; 195x3; 225x3; 260x3 @ RPE 10 (five pound increase and one rep increase PR -- last was 255x2 then x1)

8% fatigue drop to one set of 239x3 @RPE 10

Notes:

260 was a struggle but smooth. Fatigue drop set was a struggle.

[stanley_white]

11 July 2014 (weight in pounds)

5 minutes warm-up on the rowing machine.

DL: 135x3; 225x3; 315x3; 405x1@10RPE

8% fatigue drop to one set of 372x3@10RPE

Notes:

My last PR for three repetitions was 375. While training with Phil Stevens at Strength Guild I successfully pulled 405x1 but that was done with a deadlift bar. Today I got 405x1 with a regular bar. I was curious if the DL bar versus regular bar indicated increased strength so I texted Shaf who provided the reply above which I will quote below. Thanks Shaf!

I want to get back to three repetition maxes but my ego is too immature to back down from 405x1. Next week I shall attempt 405x2 and keep chipping away at it in my next cycle until I get 405x3.

OK. Saw your text at midnight. Figured I wouldn't reply then.

DL bars vs Non DL bars.

Basically, if you pull a max on a DL specific bar, then pull it on a regular gym bar, you can consider that a PR...the equipment is different. HOWEVER, there are certain types of lifters that get a LOT more out of the whippy DL bars than others. Being a regular type guy with a big ass dick, you probably have a 10-20 # difference at most. Phil S, however, may have a 30-50 lb difference, as might others. If you trained a lot with a the DL bar, you would probably increase that difference. Or if you are have a super strong surge start, the DL bar can by good to you.

[stanley_white]

Remember that part where I was like "My ego won't let me drop below 405 on the DL?"

Yeah uh well I overcame that today with some serious hamstring tightness. My entire lower body feels wrecked. As weird as it sounds simply put it doesn't feel stable.

My previous 3RM PR was 375. Next week I shall attempt 385.

See you in a few months 405x3!

Hashtag soreness beats ego.

-Stan

[stanley_white]

15 July 2014

Due to an upper respiratory infection and some weirdness in my left hamstring I am taking the week off.

[stanley_white]

The weirdness is likely sciatica.

More to follow once I know more.

-Stan