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5/3/1 - Back from the Dead(lift)

The ascent looks good to me on the video. Bar goes almost only vertically and the back angle stays well put. The descent falls apart a bit in the end.
 
The ascent looks good to me on the video. Bar goes almost only vertically and the back angle stays well put. The descent falls apart a bit in the end.

I actually thought the descent was better. What am I missing? Is it my upper back slightly rounding near the bottom you are referring to?

Now that I think about it, I am de-emphasizing the negative on the Anderson squat to mitigate fatigue/soreness. That is why I felt I had to perform regular (pause) squats after, to keep the ability to reverse the weight up. When comparing Anderson squats and pause squats, I must say, the pause squat is harder in the sense of a longer rep under tension, but easier to ascend from. If you descended correctly, you should be in an ight/ideal/tensed position to rise, and I still feel stretch, really regardless of the length of pause unless doing absurdly long ones (10 second plus). Both squats, for different purposes to reach the same goal. Getting stronger at Squat!
 
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I actually thought the descent was better. What am I missing? Is it my upper back slightly rounding near the bottom you are referring to?

Now that I think about it, I am de-emphasizing the negative on the Anderson squat to mitigate fatigue/soreness. That is why I felt I had to perform regular (pause) squats after, to keep the ability to reverse the weight up. When comparing Anderson squats and pause squats, I must say, the pause squat is harder in the sense of a longer rep under tension, but easier to ascend from. If you descended correctly, you should be in an ight/ideal/tensed position to rise, and I still feel stretch, really regardless of the length of pause unless doing absurdly long ones (10 second plus). Both squats, for different purposes to reach the same goal. Getting stronger at Squat!

The bar path isn't as good on the descent. It moves forward in the end. Likely you ease up in the end by lowering your upper back instead of your hips.
 
Day 7(?)

1)Floor Press ( slight pause/wide grip)
Bar x 5, 95 x5, 115 x 5, 135 x 5, 155 x 5, 170 x 5, 185 x 3, 195 x 3, 205 x 2, 215 x 1

225 x 1 x 10 sets

215 x 2, 205 x 3, 185 x 5

2)Snatch grip DL (on 1 in. mat)
135 x 5, 185 x 5, 225 x 5 x 2 sets

Misc
Strict Barbell Curl - 95 lbs. x 5
Light Breathing pullovers - 35 lbs. x 10 x 2 sets

Marathon pressing session. Went to gym to train today, so I had the privilege of pressing from a rack, as opposed to the usual bridge to press start position. Took advantage. I felt it would be a more pressing focused day after I craved a sandwich earlier today and consumed maybe 1,000 calories in that single meal and went home and fell asleep. Pressing strength seems to increase with bodyweight so I decided to take advantage of this phenomenon!

It felt great! Did many, many warmup sets to accrue a lot of volume but keep the intensity minimal 3 reps w/ 6 rep maxes, 2 reps with 5 rep maxes. 225 is my lifetime best 5rm on floor press, so it was substantial weight for me. It felt very solid today, and I felt I could've done singles forever. More volume on back down sets.

Took it easy on the pull since floor press took so long and I had a substantial squat workout yesterday. Hamstrings felt a bit tight, oddly. So I did some snatch grip deadlifts off the platform, and stiff bar. The stiff bar is harder than a Texas bar, in my case. For some, I've heard the opposite. Did more pressing today, but shoulders feel fine. I had a high volume rowing day the other day, so maybe that has helped. Arms locking out in unison is always something I like to see in my heavy presses, as such doesn't usually occur on maximal lifts for me.

Did some tight, strict curls for fun and breathing squats for recovery. Tomorrow, I may take the day, or do a light session as I have work at 4 am on Friday.

 
Day 1 Week 2

Press
Bar x 5, 95 x 5, 115 x 5, 135 x 3 x 3, 115 x 5, 95 x 5

Press-Pause at sticking point (forehead)
95 x 5 x 1 set

High Bar Squat (Dynamic)
Bar x 5, 135 x 5, 185 x 5, 225 x 3
245 x 2 x 10 sets

Interesting day today. Had my 4 A.M. shift and right in the middle of it, incurred a rather major cut! I load and trim produce at my store. One of my tasks is to husk the corn, and cut the knob off at the bottom so when I stack them, they form an aesthetic display stack. I held my knife in one hand and the ear in the other and the corn slipped, I instinctively reached to catch it with both hands. Knife? Meet thumb! Anyways it was a pretty deep cut. Unfortunately, it re-opened mid press workout while I was spotting a lady on the bench press. It was a rather messy affair, and me freaking out because my gym owner is an OCD neat freak, rushed off to the bathroom while she went to get first aid.
Another member, a gently giant hulking fellow, came into the bathroom with the first aid and applied bandages and gauze and a ton of tape! You can see his work on my left hand in the squat video.
Because of an inability to move my thumb without fear of reopening the wound, I had to halt my press workout after the first pause set. however, I did make two new friends and the lady bench pressing, hit a P.R. today with the help of me and the hulking fellow. So I got to say it was a good day. After the pressing, was thinking I couldn't do much with my thumb but still wanted to squat. After trying a few bar positions, found that high bar actually worked. So I did some speed work.

High Bar felt really good actually. the bar felt very secure on my back and I wondered if I'd be stronger at it. One aspect I worked on was descent speed and the bounce up. In my low bar style, I descend pretty slow and don't get much spring. However, I hope to better learn the skill of staying tight but also moving briskly and getting a nice pop out of the bottom. there is definitely a timing aspect, and I tried to hit the sweet spot every rep. A free fall doesn't work and a slow descent negates the spring, so I am trying to meet it in the middle. It all comes back to moving the weight as fast as possible, while staying as tight as possible.

 
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Wow, sorry to hear about the hand @Philippe Geoffrion

I know guys that pass out at the sight of blood; luckily the woman benching didn't have such a squeamish stomach!

Thanks @Kiacek. It's much better today. Changed bandages, re-wrapped and it's closing up well. I think my body has become adept at healing cuts! I know some too. She was actually very nice and cleaned up the driplets I left behind on my way to the Men's room! Then she asked me to record her bench set again afterwards while another fellow spotted.
 
Day 2 Week 2 Off

Day 3 Week 2

Deadlifts (Conventional, Texas Bar)
135 x 2 x 2 sets, 225 x 2 2, 275 x 1 x 3

315 x 1 x 3, 345 x 1 x 2, 365 x 1, 345 x 1 x 2, 315 x 1 x 3

Floor Press (Medium/Wide)
95 x 5, 135 x 5, 165 x 5

195 x 5 x 3 sets

Halting Deads
225 x (2 +2) x 2 sets

Pull up Bar hangs (knee raises, cork screws, scapular movements), loosening deadlifts, bent press stretches

Had a rather long deadlift session. Quads were just a tad sore after my high bar day, not debilitating by any means just present. Did mostly singles on the pulls. A slight pyramid scheme here dropping a set of singles until the top set then going back down again. Rest periods varied. Some were really short, and some rather long. Really got into a nice tight groove from the singles. Quite a contrast from explosive lifts. The bar moves steadily and assuredly. The first portion took about 30 minutes, as I find no benefit in training heavy singles with fatigue and without precision. The floor press sets were much quicker. Basic mild volume scheme. Feeling good on the floor press and the dead after today. My thumb is better but was still wary of bending it too far and reopening my cut. Seems it is healing well right now.

The halting deads were simply a start pull to the knee, a lower than a full range rep. So the 2 +2 is one rep to knee, one full rep both done twice. I've really cut out much of my other work and am just doing the main movements. There's not much time to do much else, and I don't think it would benefit my energy or overall training to do "hypertrophy work" on top of these. But I may use higher reps on "light days" and stay away from fatigue. D.E. also makes a good light day. Will squat and press tomorrow.

Top pull felt easy and solid


I'm liking the bar path and pause on these. My shoulders have felt great as of late.




 
Purely out of curiosity, why floor press rather than bench press?

I know you've done some bench press work in the past, just wondering why you pick one or the other between those two.
 
Purely out of curiosity, why floor press rather than bench press?

I know you've done some bench press work in the past, just wondering why you pick one or the other between those two.

I like to do floor press during certain phases because-1) it keeps me honest with the pause/no bounce/leg drive, 2) it can be done at home when I don't feel like driving to gym, 3) it is much kinder to my dear shoulders.
 
Day 3 Week 2

Earlier Session (before gym)

Zercher deadlifts - 115 for a couple singles (loosening)
Bent Press practice - 53. lbs k-bell 1 on right, 1,1,1 on left.
Some other stuff

Left side is way weaker on bent press, oddly. My right lat is also larger than my left. Not sure if there's a relation.

Session 2

Squat- 135 x 5, 205 x 5, 255 x 3, 295 x 1,1,1 315 x 1,1,1
245 x 5 x 2 sets

Press 145 x 3
Close grip Military Press
95 x 5, 115 x 3 x 3

Some heavier squatting today. No belt, and it's the most I've done with no belt. Usually put it on after 275 but stability felt solid. If there's one thing for sure, I need to iron out some little details. My walkout became weird after I hit the rack a couple of times. Play around with rack height or so. I've felt like lifting heavier lately, which means I'll have to have light days in the future. The 145 press was impromptu.

I've been reading about the old timers, Grimek specifically. Grimek would often to get called out as being a fraud when he gave weightlifting seminars. More often than not, an unruly spectator would challenge Grimek to a strength test, like a clean and press. In one particular such case, a very strong man challenged Grimek, claiming he could lift outlift Grimek. Grimek eventually bested the man, reaching up to 300 lbs...using a curl grip.

In seeking a random strength challenge for fun, I jumped on the opportunity! One of my training buddies was racking (throwing the barbell onto the upright) his press so hard that while I was setting up for a squat, it shook the whole damn rack. So I asked him not too. He said "This is heavy!", referring to the bar with 145. I, somewhat mockingly, proclaimed it wasn't enough to shake the rack with! SoI made him a deal. I told him if I could press it for the same reps he was, with no belt(he was wearing one) and no warmup, he'd have to put the bar back more softly. He agreed...and I proceeded. I then did 3 tight and paused presses from the rack putting the bar back on the rack gently enough as to not disturb a sleeping baby. He respected the friendly competition, and re racked his presses softly. And then we helped each other with deadlift technique the next day.

I practice my military sets after squats. With squats, I find my torso has become really stable, but I had a hard time loading my legs on the descent. It is hard with singles, as I find I',m not as neurologically efficient. The extra reps help you correct the lift after the first rep isn't always the best. So 5's it will have to be for a while, working on loading my descent. Interestingly, there was an article posted on SF today with this exact topic in mind. Synchronicity....gotta love it.

Presses were very strict, military style. Kind of a lighter day. 3 x 3 with 85 % of 5rm, so hardly a killer. Unracking is harder than cleaning the bar first in my opinion. Also, started with the bar a little lower on the chest...get some extra R.O.M today. Note the 1st and 2nd rep difference. Lower body is a little slack on first rep. But I drive my hips and tighten my quads on second rep, and it makes all the difference. Plugging up those leaks.



 
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Day 4 Week 2

Morning Light

Clean and Push Press

115 x 1 (took long break as it was early, hot, and this was hard)
115 x 2, 3 (These reps felt much better)

Yates rows
115 x 6 x 2

Hanging from a tree branch (each arm once for time, then both arms)

Movement drills
lunges (forward, reverse, lateral) , high knees, high kicks, side shuffles

Evening Session

Deadlift (Texas Bar/Conventional)

135 x 5, 225 x 5, 275 x 5

Dead starts (pull to knees then drop)
315 x 3,340 x 3

Deadlift
365 x 3 (no belt/mixed grip) 365 x 3 (belt/Double O.H.)

Dead starts (again followed by full pulls)
265 x (3+1) x 2

Dips
3 x 10

Hang from bar again and left.

Another long deadlift session. Did a bit two days ago, but wanted to do some more work on it, namely my start. Today consisted of a lot of technique toying, new grips, stances, etc. A lot of adjustments were made and practicing of some new skills. Reviewing my deadlifts, they look different a lot of the times. My 365 two days ago looks quite different than today's. I find it hard to repeat the same deadlift set up, and have found different methods working at different times, the rock and pull, the slow dive, slack out at top/vs bottom, etc. Had a chat with another lifting buddy about my pull. Today I did a rocking style deadlift. I find this style really helps me off the ground, my hardest portion. Too him, it looks like a lot of wasted energy. I pull the bar slack out at the top, almost squat, and rock into the beginning of my pull. the benefit is momentum, and a good leg drive to start the lift. In this motion, my hips rise until I "catcth the start position", then the bar moves. He suggested I practice a slower descent to bar, and pull the slack out at the bottom of the wedged position. In this way, the hips start exactly where they would as the bar elevates. So I practiced this on the 265 sets. It felt very odd. Two different methods, with different strengths. In the end, should I just choose one style, or does it benefit to train both. I remember at my last power meet, technique wasn't really on my mind before my max lift. All I thought about was picking the d@mn thing up. Is this a flaw in my approach? Perhaps. I suppose time will tell.

Didn't feel like pressing much after the deads. Dips were a good choice. They unload my back, and let my shoulders move freely, a good choice for a light day on pressing. I like to keep my relative strength in BW lifts healthy as well. I know my back will feel it from the deadlifts and dips don't force me to put more stress on my back like a barbell press. Speaking of which, the belt helped a lot on later set, but definitely rounded on 3 rep of first, beltless set at 365. I rarely use a belt, but wanted to do more heavy work. It helped a ton. Using a belt, I feel adds quite a bit to my deadlift, as it does to my squat. As things get heavier, I will probably employ the belt on heavier days. I pushed a bit on deads today. I'll take some light/light sessions later this week, depending on how I feel. Sometimes I'm fresh just after 2 days of a heavy lift. This is why my training has evolved into a freestyle plan.

Dead Starts (315)



1st set @365 (no belt, mixed grip,rocking start)


2nd set (belt, D.O)


I like the rocking start, but it does have some issues. My knees push the bar at the start sometimes, and some think the hip movement before the lift is "wasted energy". Could be, but the weight definitely moves easier, at least for me. But maybe the issue was in me pulling the slack at the top in that last set. When I practice my rocking style, different things happen as in the back locks first until the hips and knees find the right groove, then the bar moves. Practiced the other method, the wedge, which constists of starting the lift with no motion. The slack is pulled at the exact moment you reach position and the hips stay through the lift. It is a sharp shoot with this style. Bottom position must be immaculate and if timing is off by a millisecond, it drastically changes the outcome. It starts loose at the top, then accrues to max tension right at the bottom. It is the grinder method, and I practiced it on my dead start sets, by suggestion by a fellow lifter. There was a lot of team work and analysis on the deadlift today. It was nice training with the guys and getting feedback while giving it too.
 
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Day 5 Week 2

O.A.S.-
53 lbs. K.B.
10, 10

T.G.U.s -
45 lbs.
1 x 3 per arm

Pyramid Squat/Deadlift -
53 lbs. K.B. (standing on four Olympic 45 plates)
8, 8

Nice light session in the evening. Back is a bit sore today from deadlifting. Did swings for a warmup and to get blood flowing. One arm helps balance out my sides, grip, mobility, stability, etc. Get ups too. I really enjoy the length of the get up, with each segment representing a new challenge. It really forces the body into several positions, and helps reinforce stability through uncommon movements. I am no means a pro in either of these lifts, but I believe I still reap major benefits from performing them, especially in the recovery/neural charging benefits.

Used the pyramid squats to practice my squat groove without having a barbell on my back. Pulling down and exploding back up. There is a whole timing aspect to the squat I need to master to maximize potential weight lifted.
 
Day 6 Week 2

Early: Yard work, hauling a dresser.

Later

2 rounds

RDL
115 lbs x 8

Floor Press (One arm)
45 lbs x 8 (per side)

Pyramid Squat
53 lbs. x 8

Hang Clean
115 x 5

Another light neural session. Back was still not fully recovered, and can't do nothin useful in the heavy compound lift department without it. Started the day off cutting down all the branches of the tree, cutting them down as in size. The branches were large and quite tangled up, as I've done a lot of trimming after fig/apricot season ended. Had a good turnout for fruit this year! However, I hauled a car sized pile of branches/tree debris through uneven terrain in 107 F. The wheelbarrow got stuck every few inches, and branches would catch on everything and be torn from the barrow. It was misery. the branches are sharp and cut, so you have to wear full body protection. There was all sorts of parts on the pathway to the street, planks of wood, random tools, hidden rakes to step on, boards with nails waiting to catch a foot. But after it was done, it was rewarding to be finished and have the back cleared out.


Did a light practice sessions, RDL's to restore length and light blood flow/posture reinforcement. Practiced the eccentric loading method on the floor presses and pyramid squats. Starting to get better at loading my muscles on the descent for a stronger lift. I've been fasting lately, eating much less, as my volume has been lower. I feel a bit more energetic, and my weight has settled around 165. I usually don't eat until around 2 each day, and only two meals. The first is mostly fruit and protein, i.e. eggs and the second is after I train and contains high carb/protein. I'm definitely leaner, as my focus has not been on bulk, but neural type lifting. In fact, I am very close to reaching the somewhat prestigious BW press club.

My training has somewhat evolved into some sort of collusion of Russian powerlifting training, and old school strongman/early bodybuilding training. Over two weeks, I've utilized mainly 4 lifts and their derivatives, training nearly daily, varying the intensity and volume. I see this now as a time for skill building and now starting to understand the concepts of some of Pavel's writings on programming, i.e. The periodization chapter in BB, or the odd Russian training schedules in PTTP. The variables I currently have to juggle are variety, frequency, intensity and volume.

Variety is low but high. Same but different here, i.e. I'll sub a k-bell for a barbell for squats/presses and RDL's or Snatch rips for a regular dead. Frequency is high, each lift is trained at least 3x a week and I train a total of 5-6. Intensity and volume are my main variables then. High volume is rare occurrence, as tonnage per session is relatively low, while the overall weekly tonnage is probably on par with a Bodypart split weekly session. Intensity is also widely varied, as I've ued 115 -365 for deads and 45lbs (single arm) to 225 lbs on floor press, and 53 lbs to 315 lbs to squats. SO intensity is greatly varied. Volume usually stays within 60 % of the greatest training day.

I will gradually increase intensity over time, but be careful to take out other heavier things. Non - heavy days will have to include less tiring methods, like neural training/practice sessions with a lighter exercise.
 
Did some light easy training home the last few days, some practice clean and presses, pyramid squats, bent presses, et al then took the next day off.

Day 1 Week 3

Bent presses warmup, butterflies, lateral lunges

Clean and press
115 x 3, 135 x 1, 1, 145 x 1, 155 x 1, 165 x (miss)

Push press
155 x 3 x 2 sets

Squats
135 x 4, 185 x 4, 225 x 4
255 x 3 x 4 sets

BTN Press
95 x 5 x 3 sets

GM
135 x 6 x 3 sets

Dips
8 x 4 sets (BW)

Pullovers
(Light weight)12 x 2 sets

Curls

Cooldown
Bar hangs, windmills, Russian hockey deadlifts

Back is still not 100% so I decided to just go for a BW press today...makes sense....not. The press wasn't too bad. It shot off my chest and stalled right at the top of the head. At least I know my weak point. More moderate work to come in the next weeks. Must nudge, not force, progress. The press is there, I just need to hit it at the right point. Maybe it's triceps, position, this, that. I just think I need more practice and to hit the left in a fresher state.

Working on the descent in squats again and it's coming along. Had trouble with the position of the bar on my back. Need to work the unrack portion and rediscover my sweet spot. Also, my shoulders may have tightened after the presses and my upper back fatigued. The lift looked better than it felt, once again, more lighter practice is necessary.

GM for practicing pulling down in the HF, and also an active hamstring stretch and "core" exercise. Dips to get a little more press volume in, but nice easy and rhythmic, allowing the shoulder to centrate. These feel much better when I rub my triceps on my lats. Pullovers to stretch the lats and a breathing cooldown and curls just because.

I keep the accessory work very easy, almost like a cooldown itself, but it strengthens positions, movement patters and will help build a little muscle, which isn't my main focus, but will help. Good day back to the iron!




The following accessory work was just light movement patterning. The BTN press helps work the press a bit more and elbow positioning. Also, opening my chest up after presses and to help get better bar position for squat. After not squatting for a few days, maybe I was just tight around the chest.
 
Been a while since I've posted...been training, but nothing of note until now. Been too darn busy to even sit down at the computer at all in the past weeks! I've been in an experimental stage for a while, just to try new things. Mostly odd lifts or techniques and practicing lifts. I've come to really enjoy incorporating some interesting training ideas in order to round out my training. I suppose it's a hodgepodge and I can't really explain. Anyways, gymnastics, odd lifts, old strongman, powerlifting, movement drills, fasting have all been on the menu, and so far, I've really enjoyed it. I am training at a fairly high frequency, nearly daily but training is not too intense. My focus is back to building my main lifts, but also being well rounded, in the sense that I aim to maintain/improve on everyday living. I had to use some real life training skills the other day, in a fairly trying situation.

Here was today's workout, which is by no means isolated from my previous weeks. I have not recorded a lot of what I've done, but consider those periods a drawing board for what I'm currently doing

Cycle 1 (3 weeks)
Week 1, Day 1

Bench Press (intensity day)
Bar x 5, 95 x 5, 135 x 5, 165 x 5, 185 x 3, 205 x 3

Board press
1 board-205 x 3, 2 board - 205 x 3

Squat (volume)
135 x 5, 185 x 5, 225 x 5, 245 x 5 x 5 sets

Alternated
K-bell see saw press
45 lbs. x6 x 3 sets

GM
135 x 6 x 3 sets

Pulldowns
20 x 2 (light weight)

Pushdowns
20 x 2 (light weight)

Bench felt good. Squat needs work, specifically on descent. Gm were inserted to practice pulling into the hips. Box squats maybe later in the week for D.E. Find my low bar squat style is trying to use more knees than hips, but I am stronger with the latter. Maybe the Olympic squats have messed with my low bar squats, as I've done speed squats with High Bar, which feels very strong. Working the press without the bar today, and some light bodybuilding/restoration work. More so of the latter, as I don't push to fatigue.
 
Day 2 Week 1

Deadlifts-350 x 1 x many sets

Inc Press - 135 x 6 x 3 sets

Hanging Deadlifts off 4 inch platform- 225 x 5

Cable Rows 2 x 25 with lightweights

various stretches, bar hangs, poses.

My best stance- "unconventional Sumo"


Conventional- (slight valgus)


Tried many deadlift positions and stance. I forget how many singles I did, but quite a few. Duck stance sumo is my best. Will use for intensity day and SGDL for volume day. Light day, we shall see.
 
Day 3 Week 1

Press - 115 x 5, 135 x 3, 145 x 1,1,1

Push Press - 145 x 3, 165 x 3, 185 x 1,1,1

F.S. up to 245 x 1

Tempo Pause Squat (L.B., no belt) - 225 x 5 x 3 sets

Seated Rope Rows to Chest- 25 x 4 sets

Back Extensions- 15 x 2 sets (no weight added, hands behind head)

Shoulder circles, back bends, chest stretches

Press felt heavy and frustrated me. Too many warmup sets and no clean. Used different rack today, preset height a little high. Unrack needs more attention, press needs more volume. Belt feels odd, like it's set in wrong spot. Took aggression out on push presses and hit 185 very solidly. No sign of old technical flaw, which is me losing balance and taking steps. Balance has been good.

Like warming up for Squats with front squats, starting at my last press or push press weight. Squats felt good today. Little rounding at bottom, perhaps because of my head down. Maybe try head up. Bar position on back felt perfect. Focusing on long spine helps. My arch looks a bit better here and my knees don't kick out at bottom. Bottom position just at parallel. Felt tight in hips.

Back wasn't tired after heavy deads yesterday. Back extensions, decompression, stretching lats all seem to help me keep the bar loaded frequently. My BW back extensions are done to full flexion and extension at top, including upper back. Excellent breathing exercise. I've come to love movements, not necessarily loaded, that take a joint that needs grooving, through the entire range of it's emotion. Especially "breathing" exercises that open the chest up.

Top Press weight for the day. Too much in a hurry, not enough focus, maybe tired. Okay, not too bad. Just felt heavy.


Taking aggression out on Push press. Last rep, hold for 5 seconds. Am excited to see this lift grow.


Slow pause squats to help find best movement and pull myself down with HF. No unwanted forward knee travel in bottom, and solid spring loaded hip power. Good practice session. Started adding long pauses on last rep of last set of my lifts.
 
Day 4 Week 1

Punch the clock workout

Bench press
Bar x 5, 95 x 5, 135 x 5, 165 x 5
190 x 5 x 3 sets

SGDL
5 x 5 @ 225

Only had thirty minutes from the time I entered gym and time I had to leave. Short rest today.
Bench press feeling good. As long as I watch volume/intensity, should continue feeling good. Long pause on last rep. 3 x 5 is not a lot for volume day, but high frequency makes up for this. Next bench day will be some sort of S.V. or lighter pause, technique work for my forth bench day. Incline may have interfered with press work the day after.


SGDL could've been better. Ended up in a rush and had to use a fat bar. Grip was an issue. Everything else okay. These are supposed to be touch and go reps, which I haven't done in a while. This makes grip even harder. Grip not super wide, pinky on rings. Knees are shoved out, just like sumo which necessitates a snatch like grip. No assistance today.


Ditched the belt after first set. Too hard to breathe in, as I was going fast between sets.
 
Day 5 Week 1

Clean and Press ( 1 Clean only please)
95 x 5, 115 x 3
135 x 3 x 3 sets

Squat
135 x 3, 225 x 3
275 x 5 x 3

Hangs, pumps for tri's, lats and stuffs, stretches

Cleans and presses felt great today. The clean definitely helps my bar position. It's odd. I must find the correct torso position, as I move differently in all three reps. The last rep is probably my strongest, which pushes my head through, while the first rep keeps the elbows in and torso back a bit.

Squats felt great. Pause squats helped a bit. Also, rediscovered my proper setup. I had some trouble finding bar position on the back and balancing it before. I practiced pulling my shoulders down more and just "placing" the bar in the sweet spot. The shoulder/chest opening and breathing work has seemed to open me up more, and my bar position felt solid. Did some light stuff afterwards, gymnastics on pullup bar and hangs. Some weighted stretches.

Find torso movement


Squats felt very smooth today.
 
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