Ryan's Journal

Hopefully what you have learnt will help you.
I look up a lot of things I plan to do in advance but some don't seem to be avaiable. It's almost as if I am the only person who does power work on a bosu or medicine ball, weird.
 
I actually know an ex-cricket-player who used to do power work with a medicine ball on the wrong side of a bosu. But he never made it to youtube :(
 
I'll be posting as Goldfish2.0 for a while. There have been some technical difficulties with my normal account lately, thus why I haven't posted in 2 weeks (I've contacted admin, I haven't been blocked or anything). I'll be using this account until my normal one's functioning properly.

I won't post a full back-up of all my training over the last fortnight, but here's the scoop on today's session:

Sat 02/02/2013
I didn't train yesterday. I went to see Django Unchained with my brother and some friends around lunchtime, figuring I'd get to the gym afterwards. I figured wrong. So today I tried doing both my Saturday and Friday sessions (although I culled isolation work).

Squats

10xBW
10x20kg
5x40kg
3x60kg
1x80kg
1x92.5kg
3x10x105kg -- I only got 8/8/5 at 102.5kg last week, and I only got about 6 hours sleep last night, so I wasn't expecting great things here. It didn't feel like things were going to go well, either, from the start of the first set. Then something beautiful happened to overpower the confidence issues from last week's session plus tiredness plus physically feeling like I wouldn't perform well: one of the guys at the gym started yelling at me from behind. By the final set, I had multiple yellers, which did wonders for helping me to dig deep and finish the set, because I almost failed due to muscular fatigue on the 8th rep. After the 9th rep, I couldn't breathe properly; I was gasping for air trying to fill my lungs for a good valsalva, but my lungs couldn't hold the air. Eventually, I grabbed hold of whatever air was there and just went for it....and made my way back up :)

Now to walk away fromt he computer and eat roast lamb for lunch.

...

...

..............

...Annnnnnnnnd we're back.

Speed Deadlift

5x60kg
3x5x70kg

Incline Bench Press

10x20kg
5x32.5kg
3x10x42.5kg -- My shoulders felt a bit awkward doing this. I have a feeling it was tension from the shoulder end of pec major.

Press

10x20kg
5x25kg
9x30kg
2x8x30kg

Pull Ups

5xBW -- The fact that I didn't do high reps for bodyweight should be an indicator of how buggered I was feeling by this time. I was only expecting to get triples once I added weight, but got a pleasant surprise.
3x4x10kg

I messed around with some dips and Bulgarian split squats at this point, but my body didn't approve. No proper sets were completed.

Fat Gripz Rows

15x25kg T-Bar Row -- The hook attaching the cable to the handle was in use elsewhere when I sat down to row, so I did a set of T-bar rows instead. When I finished that set, the hook was returned, and I returned to what I find to be a much more effective kind of row.
4x12x42.5kg

I arrived at the gym at about 10:15, and left at about 1:00. Just shy of 3 hours training. In that time I went through 1,800mL of water.
 
Bench Press

10x20kg
5x32.5kg
3x45kg
1x55kg
2x10x65kg
8x65kg -- Some would be disappointed with only getting 10/10/8 instead of 3x10. Considering that my program only has me doing 3x8 this week and next week on paper, I'm okay with how this turned out.

CGBP

3x10x45kg -- Felt much better than last week. Whenever I do these, I make a point of trying to keep my elbows in at my side, so that my forearms run straight up and down. There are probably multiple reasons to do it like this, but the only thing on my mind is that I tuck my elbows and try to pull the bar apart at normal grip, so I'll try to do the same close grip, even though tension is generally lower by comparison to my regular grip.

Pull Ups

10xBW
12xBW
10xBW

Fat Gripz Row

4x10x52.5kg

Biceps Triset/Triceps Triset

2x10-10-10x5kg/10-10-10x5kg

Farmer's Walk

40mx32.5kg
40mx37.5kg -- Evidentally my left hand slips quicker than my right hand. Good to know...probably.
 
Front Squats

10xBW
10x20kg
5x32.5kg
4x45kg
1x55kg -- Jokes were had about being able to count to schfiffty-five.
3x8x65kg -- I'm pretty sure this is a rep PB.

Deadlift

5x60kg
5x80kg
1x100kg
3x10x110kg -- Surprisingly, these felt less impossibru than last week's deadlifts. I don't want to give the wrong impression and have people thinking this was easy, but it was less insanely hard. I like it when this happens, especially since, as I mentioned on Monday, I only have to be doing 3x8 at the moment.

Farmer's Walk/GHR

50mx37.5kg/8xGreen
50mx37.5kg/10xGreen -- Little PB's indahouse. This is normally where I do shrugs, but the space I normally use for it was taken up, and this gave me a good excuse to turn to the guy I was training alongside and say: "I'm gonna go for a little walk, but don't worry, I'll be right back." About halfway through the second set of farmer's, I remembered that I'm trying not to choke the handles if I don't have to.

Calf Raise

20x300lb -- Another little PB.
>> 6x200lb
>>6x100lb -- Drop sets. Couldn't be bothered waiting around to do another full set, so I figured I'll drop set it instead.

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Last week I mentioned bringing in one of my friends and coaching him on the squat, bench press, deadlift and seated row. This week I got him back in, this time at the same time as me. While I was doing front squats, he was doing chin ups and high bar back squats. While I was doing deadlifts, so was he. He finished his deadlifts by the time I'd done my first work set, so then I had him doing overhead presses. Lastly, while I was doing FW's and GHR's, I had him doing a circuit of decline sit ups, curls and standing triceps extensions.

We were both really pleased with his deadlifts today. Made me proud. Last week, he was struggling with 25kg. This week we got him up to a couple sets of 5x40kg with good form, and he tried a set of 50kg and got 8 reps, although form wasn't so pretty (still legal, though, and I could tell that the intensity of the lift was low enough that he wasn't likely to hurt himself this time around). I think next week we'll have him going for 3x5x45kg. I didn't have to give him my whory cues to get him into the right position on most of his sets, either. I used my brain and stuck a belt around him instead ;) A lot of coaches, PT's and lifters are against people using belts until they've reached some arbitrary heavy loads, but the fact of the matter is belts give you proprioceptive feedback, which makes it easier to cue yourself. He'd also had a week to mentally review technique tips, which I imagine had some benefit.
 
Incline Bench Press

10x20kg
5x30kg
1x40kg
3x10x45kg

Press

10x20kg
5x25kg
3x8x32.5kg -- I'm feeling a bit reminiscent now, to when I was doing Starting Strength back in 2010, and had just hit 3x5x32.5kg for the first time. I think I'd already stalled and reset the lift once at this point, and stalled again at 37.5kg. Now, here I am, doing the same weight for sets of 8, when I'd barely done any strict pressing for the last year (and had even taken several months off from all overhead work due to shoulder issues).

Pull Ups

10xBW
6 full + 2 partials x11.25kg -- That was a bit more than I expected to be able to do, or had planned to do. There was some motivation in the form of peer pressure right here.
2x6x11.25kg

Dips

2x6xBW

Fat Gripz Rows

4x15x45kg -- Rest-pause on the last set to get the final 3 reps. It should come as no surprise that rest-pause while holding onto fat gripz gives quite the burn in the forearms.

Biceps Triset

2x11-11-11x5kg

Band Pull Aparts

40
30
25

I've filled out and sent in my 2013 membership application form for Powerlifting Australia. One step closer to competing in April.
 
Squats

10xBW
10x20kg
5x40kg
3x60kg
1x80kg
1x95kg
2x10x107.5kg -- I went in with the plan that I'd do 2x10. If I missed any reps, it meant I had to do a 3rd set. Good insentive not to miss any. Bear in mind, I'm supposed to be doing 3x8 this week and next week. I can't help but to feel that, given the same weight, 2x10 is better than 3x8. I didn't miss any reps. Yay. Nick still wanted me to do a 3rd set. As I was unloading the bar, the conversation went something like this:

Nick: "Where's your third set?"
Me: "2x10's good enough."
Nick: "3x10's better."

Can't argue with his logic. So instead of arguing, I shut up and continued unracking the bar regardless of what he said. As far as I'm concerned, if I get 10x110kg next week, I've got a 150kg max secured, and then I've still got 10 weeks to build on that (4 weeks of 5's, and a 6-wk peaking program that's supposed to add an additional 5% onto my max).

Speed Pull

5x60kg
3x5x72.5kg

Tyre Flip

2x16x140kg -- Rep PB, I think.

Farmer's Walk

2x50mx42.5kg -- 25m laps back and forth. Getting better at approaching these gently.

Bulgarian Split Squat

2x10xBW -- 2x10 on each leg. Getting the back foot set properly was a bit tricky. Lots of stretch + lightweight = I'm going to have such long, lean muscles, ladies. Lollerskatez.

Calf Raise

2x18x300lb
>> 6x200lb
>> 6x100lb } Drop sets after 2nd main set.

Medicine Ball Leg Raise Pullover

2x8x4kg -- I don't know what you'd actually call this, but this seems to be an apt description. Basically, you're doing a medicine ball pullover, and at the same time doing a lying leg raise, touching the ball to your legs at the top. I got a nice pinch in the abs in the transfer from eccentric to concentric. Haven't done this one in years, but we've got medicine balls, a fitball and an EZ-bar in the gym now, so I thought I'd make use of the new equipment. Plus, I'm hating hanging leg raises.
 
Bench Press

10x20kg
5x32.5kg
3x45kg
1x57.5kg
10x67.5kg -- First 8 reps had a pause on the chest, last 2 reps TnG.
8x67.5kg
7x67.5kg -- It's international bench/chest day. On the second work set, I went for a 9th rep, but hit my sticking point and needed assistance to finish the rep. Same happened with the attempted 8th rep of the final work set. Moving onto 5's next week.

CGBP

3x10x47.5kg

Pull Ups

2x10xBW
7xBW
6xBW

Fat Gripz Rows

2x8x55kg
10x55kg -- Not sure why this set worked such much better than the other sets. Everything just felt better on this set. On the other sets, grip fatigue left over from Saturday did a fair amoun of getting in the way.
8x55kg

BB Curl/Dips

25x15kg/3xBW -- Nothing exciting over here.
 
Incline Bench Press

10x20kg
5x30kg
1x40kg
2x10x47.5kg
8x47.5kg
7x47.5kg

Press

10x20kg
5x25kg
1x30kg
6x35kg
5x35kg
4x35kg -- I think I'll be repeating this weight next week.

Pull Ups

12xBW
3x5x12.5kg

Fat Gripz Rows

4x15x47.5kg

Biceps Triset/Triceps Triset

2x12-12-12x5kg/12-12-12x5kg
 
Bench Press

10x20kg
5x32.5kg
3x45kg
1x57.5kg
5x5x70kg -- Felt heavier than expected, but no bouncing, so good.

CGBP

2x10x50kg -- I figure that while I'm doing 5x of the main lift, I should cut back the volume a bit on these so that I don't end up promoting (or really, worsening) an imbalance between push and pull).

Pull Ups

12xBW
11xBW
2x10xBW -- Best bodyweight pull up session I've had in ages.

Fat Gripz Row

4x10x55kg

Biceps Triset/Triceps Triset/Decline Sit Ups

10-10-10x7.5kg/10-10-5x7.5kg/8
 
Front Squats

10xBW
10x20kg
5x35kg
3x47.5kg
1x60kg
3x5x72.5kg

Deadlift

10x60kg
5x80kg
1x100kg
5x5x122.5kg -- All the way up until I did the last warm up set, I wasn't sure if I should go for 3x10x120kg, or 5x5x122.5kg. I think I made the right decision.

Trap Bar Shrug/GHR/Calf Raise

15x69kg/3xBlue
2x15x69kg/3xBlue/16x300lb
 
Incline Bench Press

10x20kg
5x30kg
3x40kg
3x8x50kg

Press

10x20kg
5x25kg
3x30kg
3x5x35kg

Pull Ups

12xBW
3x5x13.75kg

Fat Gripz Rows

3x15x50kg
14x50kg

Dips/Barbell Curls

8xBW/15x20kg
8xBW/10x20kg
8xBW/8x20kg
 
Squats

10xBW
10x20kg
5x40kg
3x60kg
1x80kg
1x100kg
5x5x115kg -- Every set was a grinder, but every set was also successful. Felt a lot like how I remember 5 rep sets being: get to third rep, reach a concentric speed that suggests you won't get any more reps, do 2 more reps anyway with the 5th rep being very slow around the sticking point then popping up past it. Despite each set being a grinder, it still didn't feel like that big of a deal, which I'd like the thank all my recent sets of 10 (and a very recent set of 12) for. The last time I did sets of 5 at 115kg, it was 3 sets back in 2011. When I went for 117.5kg the next training day, I knew I was only going to get the 1 set. So to get 5x5 at this weight is a volume PB, and being confident that I'll get 5x5 with more weight next week is something I'm quite pleased with.

Speed Pull

5x60kg
3x5x77.5kg -- Between sets I was coaching rack pulls. Turns out they're a lot easier to coach than deadlifts for someone who struggles to keep their chest up and their lumbar spine neutral. I knew I had some good ideas floating around up top.

Bulgarian Split Squat

10xBW
2x8x10kg

Glute Ham Raise

5x5xBlue -- Made a few adjustments. This felt much better for my hamstrings than what I've been experiencing thus far. I was tempted to just keep on going and going and going, but I considered that I would like to be able to walk again by the time I do front squats and deadlifts on Wednesday.

Calf Raise/Decline Sit Ups

2x16x300lb/10xBW
12x300lb/8xBW
 
Front Squats

10xBW
10x20kg
5x35kg
3x50kg
1x62.5kg
3x5x75kg -- Last rep of each set didn't feel overly stable up on my shoulders thanks to fingers slipping out, so I was concerned that the bar would come crashing down in a spectacular fail in every set. But I got each rep.

Deadlifts

10x60kg
5x80kg
3x100kg
1x115kg
5x5x130kg -- I feel mantastic. Pretty sure my lower back will be thanking me tomorrow for sticking with bench first, deadlifts second; no chance I'd be getting any good work on bench press tomorrow.

GHR/Shrug/Calf Raise

3x6xBlue/15x71.5kg/16x300lb
 
Squats

10xBW
10x20kg
5x40kg
3x60kg
1x80kg
1x100kg
5x5x118.5kg -- That's not a typo, I went up 3.5kg instead of 2.5kg, in the hopes of being able to make 5x5x122.5kg next week. Given that the last 2 reps of each set were bigger grinders than last week, and that I almost didin't make it out of the hole on my very last rep, I may have overestimated where I can be in a week's time. Oh well. Maybe I'll meet halfway and go up 3kg next week. Micro-plates are handy.

As an aside, I feel it worth mentioning that since I've only been doing heavy back squats on Saturdays, my concept of a week has changed. Instead of weeks being a straight line across from Monday to Sunday, my weeks are now circles. Technically, Thursday is the closest thing I've got to a weekend, in the sense that I don't have anything inherently planned for Thursdays, but they don't feel very weekendish. But Saturdays and Sundays don't feel very weekendish now, either. This isn't a complaint at all, just something I've been feeling. Saturday feels like the first day of the week, because the day in which you put your highest priority lift is the start of the week (thus why Monday is international bench day). Monday is the start of the week, because it's Monday...and because it has half my uni classes. Wednesday is the start of the week, because it has deadlifts, but deadlifts also make it the middle of the week. In conclusion, my week is a circle.

Speed Pull

5x60kg
3x5x80kg

Bulgarian Split Squat

10xBW
2x10x7.5kg

GHR/Calf Raise/Decline Sit Ups

3x8xBlue/20x220lb/8xBW
8xBlue

We had a new member in today, and some loud rockish metallish music while I was squatting, which made me happy.
 
Bench Press

10x20kg
5x35kg
3x50kg
1x62.5kg
5x5x75kg -- The hardest part is getting started. Getting a spot to help lift out on the last two sets did wonders.

CGBP

2x10x55kg -- Towards the end of each set, I really felt it in my glutes and hamstrings.

Pull Ups

2x10xBW
9xBW
8xBW

Seated Cable Row

3x10x60kg

One-Arm Cable Row

5x30kg
12x10kg -- That was harder than I expected

Biceps Triset/Triceps Triset

2x12-12-12x5kg/12-12-12x5kg

Incline DB Fly/Band Pull Apart

2x20x5kg/20

I also spent a lot of time walking around uni today, plus a jog to the bus, and walked the dogs this evening. Feeling a wee bit tired now.
 
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