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

Hello @Philippe Geoffrion

Congratulations :) !

Damn, I have to push harder then !

All kidding aside, I read a while ago you did a chin up with 50 or 52, which is way heavier than what I am capable of. This is super impressive ! If you are able to do roughly 4 chin ups / pull ups with 70-75% of your bdw, then it is considered you have the raw strength (so technique aside) for a one arm chin up / pull up. I am pretty sure you are super close (if not already able to do it) !

Once again, congrats !

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
Hello @Philippe Geoffrion

Congratulations :) !

Damn, I have to push harder then !

All kidding aside, I read a while ago you did a chin up with 50 or 52, which is way heavier than what I am capable of. This is super impressive ! If you are able to do roughly 4 chin ups / pull ups with 70-75% of your bdw, then it is considered you have the raw strength (so technique aside) for a one arm chin up / pull up. I am pretty sure you are super close (if not already able to do it) !

Once again, congrats !

Kind regards,

Pet'
Haha thanks @pet' ! That would be so awesome to do a OAC. Yes my weighted pull strength is better than my strength endurance! Now that I’m back in the US, I have a greater variety of weight available. Maybe I’ll get a OAC soon!
 
Hello @Philippe Geoffrion

20 pull ups in a row is vert solid and far better than average. Beside, you have a very heavy 1RM. Overall, you have an incredible pulling strength ! :)

Will you come back to France is it for job opportunity ?

OAC is something not that hard to get. It just requires patience. A few years back, I got my OAC using a combination of daily dose pull ups (3 to 5 heavy singles a day) and then a pulley / counterweight system (which is better because you can scale it more accurately and it reproduce the movement dynamics).

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
Hello @Philippe Geoffrion

20 pull ups in a row is vert solid and far better than average. Beside, you have a very heavy 1RM. Overall, you have an incredible pulling strength ! :)

Will you come back to France is it for job opportunity ?

OAC is something not that hard to get. It just requires patience. A few years back, I got my OAC using a combination of daily dose pull ups (3 to 5 heavy singles a day) and then a pulley / counterweight system (which is better because you can scale it more accurately and it reproduce the movement dynamics).

Kind regards,

Pet'
Thanks @pet' I’m certainly built to pull and that’s awesome you unlocked the OAC!!! I will DEFINITELY be back to France!!!
 
Hello @WhatWouldHulkDo

Hehe you are right ! At some point, the strength to weight ratio plays a role. Working on OAC while bulking is not ideal ! I remember I was cautious with my diet to maintain the same weight day in day out.

It is important to train for strength only (with moderate amount of cardio and monitored diet). This may require: long rest, heavy weight. GTG can be great for this purpose.

Shoulder mobility as well. It puts a lot of stress on the joints. So movement prep is important here

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
Day 2 OFF

Day 3 Pressing

A1) Plyo Push-up 3 x 5 sets
A2) Inc Press - 145 x 5, 195 x 2,2,3x 145 x 10
B) RDL- 145 x 5, 195 x 5, 195 x 15
C) BW Rows - 10,10, 25

Speaking of tricky, precarious floor press variations, here’s an incline press on the medicine ball. My ROM isn’t the longest but it never has been on inclines. Long term goal is 5 solid reps at 195 with the same ROM as the 145 set, which as you can see, is my optimal ROM, even with light weight going lower seems beyond what my body desires.

I gave away my barbell to a friend before I left so I’m using basically a wooden stake which is far as a sewer pipe. I find it oddly comfortable training with these unconventional tools. I give the wooden post 5 lbs for simplicity.

The grip is the hard part of RDL’s. Filmed to check if my hips are level. My right QL seemed to strain from pistols the other day but wasn’t bothered by RDLs. I’ve always had better ankle mobility with my right leg and more hip stability with my left (probably from soccer ie kicking with my right foot and planting with my left). I wasn’t feeling like training but after some yoga and my vaccination shot (J and J), I felt pretty excited to lift.

Incline Press w 195

Incline AMRAP

RDL
 
Day 4 Pull

A1) Power Cleans - 150 lbs x 3 x 3 sets
A2) Chin-ups - 5, 35 lbs x 3, 70 lbs x 3, 95 lbs x 2, RP 1, 45 lbs x 8 (back off set)

B) Single Arm OH Press - 53 lbs x 5,5,15R/15L
C) Sisyphus Squats - 25 x 2 sets

Pull day. Hoped to get three reps with 95 lbs on chins but wasn’t meant to be. I am pulling on a tree branch...the power cleans felt a bit tough because this bar is so thick. I have two bars now, an old gate post and the wooden stake. The gate post gets ten lbs via estimation hence 150 lbs. it is shorter and heavier than the wooden post but thinner. The last chin-up AMRAP set felt strong.

I thought with my CoVid shot, my left arm might not be up to the pressing as it was a little stiff but my left arm, which is weaker overhead, felt more solid than my right side.

I did Sisyphus Squats today and they made me feel like a sissy. An old post by @Antti made me feel like some knee over toe work might help fill strength gaps. My VMO seems underdeveloped compared to my other leg muscles. Might be a clue. Don’t usually chase the burn, but it found me on the sissy squats.
 
Day 5 Lower

A) Zercher Squat - 300 x 0, 245 x 8
B) Horizontal Rows x 10,10,20
C) Dips x 10,10,30

Haven’t done a barbell squat in months and it showed. The zercher attempt was humbling, to say the least. My squat strength is the first to go when I stop barbell work. Two months ago, I got 285 x 10 so not being able to get 300 for a single was...disappointing. Even the deadlift portion was hard but I’ve got remind myself of a few things:

1) I’ve hung unevenly weighted kettlebells on the bar, a 53 and 45 lbs, that roll around the bar.
2) This bar is super fat and the limiter of the pull is most likely grip and the awkward loading.
3) I haven’t done a loaded squat in months and my squat strength will come back quickly

On a positive note, my bodyweight strength has improved greatly. Never done 30 consecutive dips so that’s nice. The bars at the park were different as in they ran parallel to my body instead of perpendicular. Feels a little more chesty. Perhaps the surge in bodyweight numbers has been due to leg atrophy from no barbell work ?

Zercher fail

Zercher success
 
Looks to me like the glutes are lacking. Though maybe that's projection.

Still, I wonder how feasible it is to load the glutes properly without real weights.
 
Looks to me like the glutes are lacking. Though maybe that's projection.

Still, I wonder how feasible it is to load the glutes properly without real weights.
Could be. I think I just didn’t have the juice right now. My glutes are my strongest lower body group though. They tend to grow with every exercise. I seem to feel my quads are the ones lacking though in this case, it could be many things.
 
Press

A1) Floor Press Close Grip - 200 lbs x 1,2,4
150 x 10 (paused)
B1) Chins (V-grip)- 5,5,20
C1) Split Squat - 2 x 35 lbs x 20L/20R

Close grip floor presses with the bar not the branch. Four was surprising. A back off set with pauses since I neglect pausing. Another chin set and only a single set for the split squats because I was already tired and it was reaching 100+ outside.

CG Floor press 200 x 4

CG back off set 150 x 10 w pause
 
Another Press Day

A1) Press - 150 x 1, 130 x 5
B1) Pullups - 70 lbs x 3 x 3

Just upper work today. More of a working man’s strength session then Pr chasing. I feel it a good time to practice more and push less. Clean and press strength is still there. 155 is my lifetime best, done with a proper barbell and preparation so to hit 150 with this fat bar with no clamps and no mental arousal was quite nice. Took my time, pretty relaxing session actually. Was going to give zerchers a shot but this whole dangling kettlebell setup...it won’t do.

Press 150

Press 130 x 6

Pullups
 
After fumbling and bumbling for a few days, wondering if there was any meaningful method of train using my limited barbell and weights, I’ve decided on what I’m going to do.

I returned home pretty broke from the semester and immediately asked my old job for work, to which they have obliged. However, with limited financial means at the moment, I’ve had to conjure up a system that would maximize my means. So I’ve made a plan based on the Strong as You look system, inspired by Mike Torres’ recent article.

I will be training six of the fundamental movement patterns. My lifts will be the Overhead Press, Floor Press, Zercher Squat, Pullups, Pendlay Row, and Single leg Deadlift. Every lift is trained every day, rotating the load of heavy, medium or light. Lifts are paired accordingly so that the loading of the bar doesn’t vary heavily between exercises and spinal decompression exercises are paired. So Zerchers, my heaviest lift, are rotated with chins.

I’m allowing a slight variety of exercises to be incorporated to fit the heavy light model, since my variety of plates is limited. This floor press will include decline, incline presses and close/wide grip changes. Oh press will also include grip changes and the BTN Press. Chins and Pendlay mostly will rely on grip changes while the Zercher will use the palms held together or open. The former allows a deeper squat for me.

That’s the gist. Here’s day 1

A1) Zercher Squat (open grip)
150 x 5, 200 x 3,5,10
A2) Chin-ups- 45 lbs x 5, 80 lbs x 1,2,3
B1) Decline Floor Press (close grip)
200 lbs x 4,6,8
B2) Pendlay Row
200 lbs x 4,6,8
C1) OH Press (close grip)
80 lbs x 5,8,11
C2) Single Leg Deadlift
80 lbs x 5,8,11

Felt very active after today’s workout, like it was a recharge. I think my apathy the last few days was caused by having no direction in my training.

I get much deeper in this style Zercher, something I need to get more volume in. I did heavy pullups yesterday so chins weren’t optimal but not too bad or fatiguing.

The decline press was done with a closer grip, which for me, amplifies the difficulty quite a bit. This is how it must be, since a wide grip would really allow to many reps.

The overhead close grip is a very close grip, as in the hands are a fist’s width apart. Overall, auto regulation and improvisation, which have always played a melody on top of my training plans, will be implemented when needed. I will lay out certain weight goals to hit for each lift.

Zercher Squats

Chins

CG Decline Press
 
Day 2

A1) Pendlay Row (wide grip)
200 lbs x 4,6,8
A2) Floor Press (paused)
200 lbs x 2,4,6
B1) OH Press (medium grip)
105 lbs x 4,6,8
B2) SLDL
105 lbs x 7,9,11
C1) Pullups
25 lbs x 5,10
C2) Zercher Squats
150 x 5,10

I should’ve used the wooden stake instead of gare post for pressing since it’s longer and I had a helluva time getting my proper grip width so it ended up being a little narrower than my ideal. Ditto for the overhead presses. I got 105 lbs by adding two cinder blocks to the bar. This was not ideal, as they take up so much room on the bar, my wrists kept jamming into them. My triceps and forearms are getting extra work from this bar, which forces my wrist and elbow to be misaligned because of my shoulder’s propensity to flare.

I took it pretty easy on zerchers. Whole lower body was rung up. A bit sore but not really stiff or debilitating. Note to self, use stake for stronger press position.

Floor Press
 
Day 3

A1) Close GripPress
130 lbs x 1,2,3
A2) Single Leg Deadlift
200 x 1,1,1
B1) Zercher Squat
130 x 5,5,5
B2) Chinups
45 lbs x 5, 7
C1) Incline Press (paused)
150 x 3,6,7
C2) Pendlay Row
150X 3,6,8

The idea of this training is mostly neural. I’m thinking that doing mostly harder variations and grip will be more beneficial along with pausing my reps. I’m very adept, adroit even, at utilizing the stretch reflex. The benefit of training with just the bar and no rack, is that nearly every first rep starts from the bottom position. The only exception is in my horizontal pressing.

I think I’ll find it more beneficial for not only strength, but in preserving my neural system, to pause all reps, focus on tension and quality over prs. Of course when it’s a day to push, it’s a day to push but I’ll let them come when they wish. With frequency, it’s better to stay fresh, especially with 6 compound movements everyday.

With this in mind, I’ve adapted the idea of using my weaker grip and stance more often, such as in presses today, along with pausing between reps as done on the incline and zerchers. Singles make the most sense for me with heavy SL deadlifts for now and while the first few days I did reps more skin to RDLS, I think greater strength and balance will come from going deadstop and lessening the reps.

Went light on zerchers today just to focus on body position and it’s their heavy day tomorrow. As far as strength goes, working my close grip will no doubt help my wide grip. According to CT, a close grip should be roughly 90 % of your strongest grip (some people’s strongest is a close grip but “Not I” - Beckett). Thus, if I can bring my close grip pressing up to where my strongest grip is, I think I’ll find great strength gain there. Watching my pressing, it’s easy to see that close grip is much harder for, as the elbow will sit outside the wrist. Alas, Incline Presses done with a far greater range of motion and pause should hit the ROM that floor pressing misses out on.

Press with close grip (I seem to have to muscles between my scapula)

Single Leg DL (bit of a challenge finding center and balance)

Incline Press (feet out, deep ROM and pauses to really focus on upper pressing)
 
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