11/15 Gym Meet Videos

I am a slacker and should have posted these long ago...

Mock Meet Results

Squat:
365 - Fail (Took it down too fast)
365 - Good (Easy)
405 - Fail (Hips shot up too quick, leaned forward)

Bench:
275 - Good
300 - Good
315 - Good

Lifts felt solid

Deadlift:
450 - Good
480 - Fail
480 - Good

365 + 315 + 480 = 1160


Most I have pulled off the ground in a while. Felt good. Found out by going wider in my stance and pulling my shoulders back helps with my back arch and lock out. Thank you Nathan for the tips.

Lifting RAW

So, I'm thinking about just lifting raw at the meet. I signed up for the open mens, but I'm hoping they'll let me change. I'm still not used to my gear and it would be cool to set some PR's at the meet. Additionally, I haven't been feeling as strong lately in my squats and deadlifts. Maybe undertraining, overtraining, or maybe just stress from work and school. Just putting it out there, but I think I'm going to go through with it.

Competition Training

So we are about 5 weeks out from the meet. I was wondering what you guys suggest as far as training from here on out. Last time I think Brent, Kevin, and I did something like this.

Bench and Deadlift Training
4 weeks- 5 RM
3 weeks- 3 RM
2 weeks- 2nd Attempt
1 week- off

This worked pretty well for me for the last meet, so I guess I'll stick to that unless you guys had something else that you think might up my numbers. Also, what would you guys suggest for squat training? or at least what do you guys plan on doing?

Squatah!

Trained today raw. Raw meaning no belt. Brent filled me in and I guess there are some differences in opinion on what raw is. So, for this session by raw I mean no belt. This also goes for my last deadlift session, I didn't use a belt. Been training beltless bc Brent left and I usually just borrowed his. But I finally ordered my own along with a rage x bench shirt and a max dl suit.

Everything should be in within the next week I'm guessing.
Question: Is there much of a difference between a squat suit and a deadlift suit? and Am I allowed to squat in a deadlift suit and will this hinder my squat?

Anyway heres my training for today:

(Everything was beltless)
Back Squat: Normal (wide) stance
wu
275x5
295x5
315x3
325x1

After this set my hips were tight as balls.

Close stance Back squat: (less than shoulder width)
225x5
245x5
275x5

Reverse Hack Squat
3 plates x 5
4 plates x 5
5 plates x 5

I do these by getting on the hack squat machine backwards. Meaning I am facing the machine. Really hit my upper quads and hip flexors.

Stair jumps:
4sets x 9 jumps

At the gym there is a set of stairs consisting of 5 steps. For each set I jumped from the ground in a squat to a step. I jumped to the first, reset, then the second, reset, then to the third, and so on. Then back down again. On the forth set sat in the squat for 3 seconds then jumped.

Hip Abductors
3sets x 20 reps

Hips were good and tight. The end

DL solo session

So Mr. Tanaka is pretty much in Westwood now for school and I'm left partner less. Which sucks on push days, anyway. If you guys know anyone who trains and is in the area I'm down for whatever. I could get them into the gym no problem.

Training today was as follows:

Raw Sumo Deadlift
wu
275x5
315x5
365x5
405x5
455x1 + 2 Miss

When the weight starts to get tough my hands start to drag along my quads more and it gets me stuck. I'm not sure whether it is a form technicality or if baby powder is the answer. Other than that, the lifts felt good.

Banded Sumo DL for speed
135x5
185x5
225x5

Definately felt the burn in my lower back on these. Really tried to focus on ripping the weight off the floor while keeping form.

Adduction + Abduction Superset
10 x 4 each

Banded Hypers
10 x 4

Deadlifting for Speed

So I got a hold of some bands. My cousin who is on the UCLA baseball team was able to grab me a pair from their gym. They're green and huge, not quite sure how much resistance they give. How do you guys go about figuring that out? Anyway. Here it goes.

Banded Sumo Deadlift for Speed
wu
275x5
315x5
365x5
225x10

These were probably one of the most fun training sessions I have had in a while. It was tough as balls locking it out towards the end. My grip was starting to rub on my thighs, thus giving me more resistance and a sweet looking rash. Any pointers on how to aviod that or at least reduce the friction? I ended up just baby powdering my thighs. It helped a little.

Sumo DL for Time
465x3.2

Tried deadlifting once every 15 secondsx4. It was tough, but it felt good. Completely failed on the 4th rep. Probably 3 inches off the ground. Waited another 30seconds or so and tried again. Got it just above the knee and failed. Normally, I would not have done that, but Dave's deadlifting video of his multiple 600 pulls inspired me to kick my own ass.

Zercher Rack Pulls
315x5
405x5
495x5
545x5

We weren't quite sure on what else to do to work on speed for deadlifting. But bands were definitely fun. Pretty excited to see what squating or benching is going to be like.

Bench Training

So after about of being sick, not eating enough, and weak I'm finally back in the gym. I tried to DL Tuesday, only to be pissed off and sick. I pulled 525x1 and did some box squats 255x2x10. Anyway, feeling about 90% better and was able to get in a decent session in today.

Bench Press (wrists wrapped)
wu
275x5
295x5
315x3 + 2 forced

6in Board Press (wrists wrapped)
315x5
345x4
365x1 +2forced

Could have hit 2 on 365, but my set up was crap so I was off balance. Hit the 2nd rep easy, then was pretty much shot on my 3rd.

Incline Bench Press (Pause at bottom)
135x5
185x5
205x4 +1
225x4 +1

Standing Cable Flyes
3x10

side note: My dad was training with me and was out repping me. Hes 44 and around 185lbs. Going to try to get him in a shirt and see what he can do. Hah!

Chest Training

Shirted Bench- Inzer Rage X
wu
365x1
385x1
415x1 Fail
415x1 Fail

I wanted to be cool like Brent and set a PR but I failed. Got stuck at about 1/2 way.

Raw Board Press
315x5 ~ 4 in.
335x5 ~ 5 in.
365x2 ~ 6 in.
365x2 ~ 6 in.

Tri Push downs
Stack x 10
Stack +25 x10
Stack +45 x10
Stack +70 x10

I think the stack was 200, double pulley system.

Incline Chest Flyes
25x 10
25x 15
25x 20

Squat Day

Back Squat -
Instead of going with the usual close stance, tried wide stance. I think I might just stick with it.
wu
295x5
335x5
365x4 - wrapped
405x2 (PR!) wrapped

Front squat
135x10
185x8
225x8
245x6

Power Cleans
135x4
135x4

Hams were pretty tight from cleaning yesterday. called it
Need to invest in some bands to mix things up

Chest and Cleans kinda

Chest 8-27
Bench
w/u
275x3
315x3
335x3 (2 forced)
355x3 (3 forced)

Floor Press
135x5
225x5
275x5
315x4

Weighted Dips
BW x 10
BW + 90 x10
BW + 135 x10
BW + 150 x 10
BW + 175 x 5

8-28
Legs were still feeling pretty tight from Sumo Day, so did some light cleans to loosen up a bit.

Hang Clean - Below Knee
135x4
135x4
135x4
135x4

Power Clean
135x4
185x4
205x4
225x3

Meant to stay light on the power cleans but it was too much fun! I was never able to pull 225 off the ground before. Felt goooood

Barbell Shrugs
315x10
405x10
505x10

Sumo Deadlift

Last nights deadlifting session went a lot better than my first attempt at it. Hips definitely felt stronger and tighter. Form stayed pretty tight until my last 2 reps. I felt like I could have definitely pulled more.

Deadlift (Sumo)
w/u
225x5
275x5
315x5
365x5
415x5
445x5

Stiff-legged Deadlift (Close Stance)
135x10
225x10
275x10
315x10

Adductors / Abductors (Superset)
4x10 each

Squat Training / Chest Training

Last night was a leg day for Brent and I. My hams were sore/tight from finishing a deadlift workout 2 days prior, but it was an overall good lift. My glutes are killing me today.

8-21
Backsquat-
w/u
275x5
295x5
315x5
335x5
365x3 (knees lightly wrapped)

Lunges
135x6 (each leg)
185x6 (each leg)

Backsquat- Pause 3 secs
205x5
225x5
245x5

Powercleans
135x4
135x4
185x4
185x4

Chest Training 8-22
Bench- wide grip
225x5
275x5
295x5
315x3 (1 forced- butt came off)

Incline - Pause at chest
135x5
185x5
205x5
225x5

Incline Tri-ext 10x4

Brent was setting PRs like a mad man today, almost every working set was a PR for him. The change in his grip definately boosted his bench.

Deadlift w/o kinda.

So todays workout out went alright I guess. Some douche was giving us crap for slamming the weights, kinda pissed me off. Then Kevin effed his back deadlifting so we cut our workout short. Anyway, it went sorta like this.

Deadlift ( Conventional )
Belted
w/u - starting with 135 working up to 225ish
315x5
405x 5
465x5

.. then kev got hurt. So we called it. Ill probably try to pick it up tomorrow after work.

What would you guys suggest as far as exercises to supplement Deadlift days?
I know like rack pulls, good mornings, zercher rack pulls (if thats what you call them), Back extentions. Keep in mind I'm in a normal gym with limited equipment. no bands chains etc.
Also what would you suggest as far as reps and sets to try to strengthen my deadlift? low reps heavy weight yeah? pyramiding maybe? I can probably take a look at your last deadlifting day workouts. just throwing it out there to see what you guys were working at.
also maybe some glitches in my technique as well could using some tweaking... you guys notice anything from the meet I could work at? Thanks guys. keep up the good work!

Mammoth Chest Training

On vacation and found a small hole in the wall gym to get a chest/tri workout in.
The high elevation definately kicked my butt. Freakin huffin' after 1st set.

Bench Press
w/u -
225x5
275x5
295x5
315x5 (1 force rep)

Incline DB Press
90x10
100x10
110x10

Board Press (~6in. foam roller)
315x5
335x4
365x3

Dont really remember the weight for tri's but the exercises were as follows
Incline Tri-exts 10x4
Weighted Dips 10x4
Cable Push Downs 10x3