11/25/08

Couldn't wait until Wed. to test maxes since I'll be away for Thanksgiving.

Deadlift: 410
Overhead Press: 185

Unofficial Totals:
Powerlifting: 1080
Crossfit: 965

I'm really upset with how weak my shoulder press was. I was hoping for at least 200. A 10 pound increase from something I can do 5 times is disgusting. I'll definitely be focusing on that a lot in the next training cycles.

Notes on Westside: My reservations about the Westside program are pretty much gone. It is a great training system. I very much like the fact that each movement is worked twice a week instead of once. I also like that two out of the 4 lifting days are speed days because it give me a break mentally from having to lift maximal weights every session. I have to note that I only did 6 weeks of it and not the full 12, but had I gone on longer I would have been fighting some elbow problems most of the way through. I will probably be switching back to the performance menu workouts for the next 4 weeks to get some O-lift work, but after that I'll be back on another 6 week Westside cycle

11/24/08
Tested Maxes

Max Squat: 370
Max Bench: 300

I'm gonna take tomorrow off and test deadlift and military press on wednesday. 1,000 is MINE!!!!

Haven't been posting lately, but I took these last few days off. This coming week I will test my maxes. I fully expect to break 1,000 in the power lifting total, but will probably come up shy on the Crossfit Total. The following week I will start back up with some slightly different goals. I am still pursuing the Crossfit Total, more than ever actually, but I'm going to drop back down to 180 pounds and work toward completing all Level 4 (elite level) Crossfit NorCal standards. Some I am capable of, others close to, and others still will take a long time. However, the pursuit of these goals will make me a formidable athlete.

Week 5 / Day 4

11/19/08
Ring Dips: heavy set of 5
- 70 x 5
Ring Pull-ups: 5 sets of 5
- 30 x 5, 5, 5 / Bdywt x 5, 5
1 Arm DB Should Press: 4 sets
- 75 x 6, 6, 5 / 65 x 8
DB Front Raises: 3 sets of 8
- 30 x 8, 8, 8

*I'm starting to lose it. Unmotivated, tendonitis in both elbows, questionable energy. I'm going to finish out this week, next week will be a back off week, and the week after that I will test maxes, and then the following week will be off. After that I will start a new 6 week cycle. I think 6 is the magic number for me. 6 weeks seems to always be about where I fall apart so I think a week off is called for.

Week 5 / Day 2

11/17/08
Platform Deadlift (4"): heavy set of 3
- 330 x 3

Was low on energy and food today and was just feeling unmotivated. The last few days have not been great for training. I am going to really recommit myself tomorrow.

On a positive note a new atlas stone is in progress. On a negative note I'm not really sure how it will turn out...

Week 5 / Day 1

11/16/08
Dynamic Bench Press: 8 sets of 3 @ 60% (done with blue bands)
- 150 x 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
Rack Lockouts: 3 sets of 3 (4-5 inch range of motion)
- 300 x 3
- 310 x 3
- 320 x 3
Incline DB bench press: 4 sets of 10
- 65 x 10
- 65 x 10
- 70 x 10
- 75 x 10
Horizontal Cable Row: 4 sets of 10
- 160 x 10
- 180 x 10
- 180 x 10
- 190 x 10
DB shrugs: 2 sets of 8 w/ 100lbs
Tricep Pushdowns: 4 sets of 12

Week 4 / Day 5

REST
___________________________

Spotlight on American Strongman Derek Poundstone who placed second to Mariusz Pudzianowski in WSM 2008

- Interview on Marunde Muscle

- Training Compilation

- Defeats Mariusz in the Medley

Week 4 / Day 4

11/12/08
Military Press: 5 rep max
- 175 x 5
Ring Chin Ups: 5 sets of 5
- +25 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
DB Lateral Raises: 3 sets of 10 (each arm)
- 25 x 10, 10, 10
Ring Dips: 3 sets of 10
- Bodywt x 10, 10, 10
Power Curls
- 135 x 5
- 155 x 6
- 160 x 5
_________________________________

"Stones of Steel"
For Time:
- 25 DB Swings (50#)
- 25 Sledge Hammer Swings
- 25 Box Jumps (22")
- 25 Ring Pullups
- 20 DB Swings (65#)
- 20 Sledge Hammer Swings
- 20 Box Jumps
- 20 Ring Pullups
- 15 DB Swings (75#)
- 15 Sledge hammer swings
- 15 Box Jumps
- 15 Ring Pullups
- 10 DB Swings (85#)
- 10 Sledge Hammer Swings
- 10 Box Jumps
- 10 Ring Pullups
TIME: 18:00

*sledge hammer weighed 10 pounds.

Some photos


Myself lifting the 240# atlas stone.


Mt and Basses inside The Faction.

Week 4 / Day 3

REST

Took a total rest day to prepare for tommorow's beating. I have a good one in store.

Week 4 / Day 2

11/10/08
Deadlift From 4" Platform: 3 rep max
- 315 x 3 (not a max, but sufficient)
Atlas Stone Lift: Lifted the 240# atlas stone to a 24"(?) platform. Pictures tommorow.
Front Squat: 3 sets of 10
- 200 x 10, 10, 10
--------------------------
Ab Work:
Psuedo Atlas Stone Extensions:
- 135 x 4, 4,
Ab Wheel Rollouts:
- 3 sets of 4
Standing DB rotations:
- 75 x 10, 10 (didn't really feel like these were doing anything.)

Week 4 / Day 1

11/09/08
Dynamic Bench Press: 8 sets of 3 @ 60% (alternate close, medium, and wide grip each set)
- 150 x 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
Rack Lockouts: 3 sets of 3 (4 - 5 inch range of motion)
- 225 x 3
- 275 x 3
- 300 x 3
(grip was inbetween close grip and regular)
DB Incline Bench Press: 3 sets of 10
- 65 x 10
- 70 x 10
- 70 x 10
Horizontal Cable Row: 3 sets of 10
- 180 x 10, 10, 10
Farmers Walk: 3 sets of 30 steps w/ 105# DB in each hand
Tricep Pushdowns: 4 sets of 12

Week 3 / Day 7

11/08/08
REST

Mikhail Koklyaev:

At the Arnold Classic

Anyone who can make Mariusz look incompetent at an axle clean and press and make a deadlift look easier than Benedikt Magnusson is a BAMF.

Also:

Koklyaev deadlifting 859 x 3 with double overhand grip and no straps.

Insane.

Week 3 / Day 6

11/07/08
Dynamic Box Squat: 8 sets of 2 @ 65%, 1 set of 1 @ 75%, 1 set of 1 @ 85%
- 220 x 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2
- 255 x 1
- 290 x 1
Dynamic Deadlift: 8 sets of 1 @ 65%, 1 set of 1 @ 75%, 1 set of 1 @ 85% (all sets done with 1 1/4" fat bar)*
- 245 x 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1
- 285 x 1
- 325 x 1
Supermans: 3 sets of 10
DB Side Bends: 3 sets of 10 (per side)
- 85 x 10, 10, 10
Hanging Leg Raises (feet to hands): 3 sets of 10
BB Curls: 3 sets of 8
- 105 x 8, 8, 8

*I decided to work with the fat bar today on the deadlifts to get a little grip work in simultaneously. I was planning to use it only with 245 and switch to the normal bar for the last two sets, but my grip was feeling pretty strong so I just used it the whole way through. Here's some pictures of 325 with the fat bar:





Also would have ran today, but I was too pissed off from doing some half assed sorry retarded excuse for a run in the morning. It wasn't by choice, but it sure was worthless...that's all I'll say.

And of course the new tire.

Week 3 / Day 5

REST!

My legs are pretty much toast from yesterday's metcon so I really need to pay attention to recovery because Friday is dynamic squat and deadlift day. My plan for recovery was to do as little as possible (especially on my legs), inhale a massive amount of amino acids, take extra glutamine on top of the aminos, take about 12 fish oil caps, drink any amount of water over 1 gallon (preferably 1.5 gallons), eat alot, try to coax my girlfriend into giving me a leg massage, and get a good night's sleep.

Week 3 / Day 3 & 4

11/04/08

REST
*was going to swim, but had more important things to handle.

11/05/08

Military Press: new 5 rep max
- 165x5
*this is lagging like crazy
Lateral and Front Raises: 3 sets of 10 reps per arm/ per movement
- 20 x 10/10, 10/10, 10/10
Ring Chin-ups: 7 sets of 6
- Bodywt x 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6
Ring Flys (elevated feet): 3 sets of 4
- Bodywt x 4, 4, 4
Ring Pushups (focus on triceps): 5 sets of 10
- bodywt x 10, 10, 10, 10, 10
BB Shrugs with 1 1/2 inch fat bar: 3 sets of 6
- 190 x 6, 6, 6

----------------------------------------

"Lucky Number 5"

5 rounds for time of:
- 5 tire flips
- 5 thrusters (135#)
- 50m sprint

TIME: 8:32

Week 3 / Day 2

11/03/08
Box Squat: Work up to new 5 rep max
- 280x5 (finally)
Stiff Leg Deadlift: 3 sets of 8 (didn't have a place to do glute hamm)
- 175x8
- 195x8
- 215x8
Front Squat
- 225x5
- 185x10
- 185x10
Roman Chair Back Raises: 4 sets of 10
- Bodywtx10
- +5x10
- +5x10
- +5x10
Weighted Incline Situps: 5 sets of 10 (weight held with extended arms over head)
- +10x10
- +25x10
- +25x10
- +25x10
- +25x10

Also managed to lift the 240# atlas stone off the ground today. So that was cool.

Had to miss Sunday because of drill, which is...quite upsetting, but what am I to do? On another note the Y is the worst place to workout ever. They are lacking in some much needed equipment and inspirational tunes.

Week 2 / Day 7

REST

"There is no training problem that drinking more milk can't fix" - me