Mike's quest for Abs and 1100

[Squatter]

Don't you have a pair of deadlift socks? I would think you would seeing how you compete. I always scrape my legs and/or knees on Sumos, but not conventional.

Solid triple there on the deads.

[ravimolasaria]

strong work mike ... keep pushing your limits ...

[MikeM]

Thanks, Jim! Good idea. Might look a bit dorky, but my deadlift socks go way past my knee if I pull 'em up. That'll work until I get some sleeves. I wanted sleeves for christmas anyway.

Thanks Ravi! Will do. Thanks, Imp! I'll try the baby powder too.

I pushed everything this week by a day so I wouldn't have to lift on Thanksgiving. Got family descending on us like locusts, don't want to be stressed about finding time to workout too.

Tuesday, cycle 1, week 2

Warmups: Rowing 3x 1 min, 2 pullups, 4x 8x 150 Pulldowns (pullups still causing me trouble in my elbow)
Dynamic: 3x 5-8 20KB push throws (hit the 10 foot branch a couple times! Woo Hoo!)

OHP:
5x 90, 100, 115
ss w/ bandwork for shoulders

BBB sets: 5x 10x 80 (still too easy, last set 15 reps)
ss w/ underhand pulldowns: 5x 8x 240

BB Rows:
5x 5x 155 (go to 160)
ss w/ CGBP: 5x 5x 155 (ditto)

Conditioning/Strongman: Single Cleans up to 165 (tried to press it on a whim, didn't get it. Too tired)

First set 10x 80:

MVI 6573 - YouTube

MVI 6573 - YouTube

Third set, taped this one just for the Mettalica!

MVI 6574 - YouTube

MVI 6574 - YouTube

Last set, 15x 80:

MVI 6575 - YouTube

MVI 6575 - YouTube

Rows to see if I'm doing them right, 5x 155:

MVI 6576 - YouTube

MVI 6576 - YouTube

165 Clean, missed the press:

MVI 6577 - YouTube

MVI 6577 - YouTube

I miss doing cleans, so I just threw them in today. It is really hard to do them properly at the end of a workout!

I'm really not sure about my rowing, so fire away. Any advice there is appreciated.

Anyway, good stuff. Today was fun. I'm thinking of bumping the 5x 10 to 95 and see what happens. I remember reading Wendler saying he was a 400 bencher when he tried 5x 10 OHP with 95 and couldn't do it. I gotta tell you, I think I can do it, but still haven't hit a 300 lb bench. Probably apples and oranges, though.

[BendtheBar]

Love to see that overhead pressing volume. Get those shoulders strong big Mike.

Well done.

And nice clean. Press was almost there.

[moeheep]

Pretty solid work there Mike....Smash it!

[ravimolasaria]

Solid intensity Mike ... strong working ...

[markievicz]

i like the BBB template , means i dont have to think much in the gym

nice work mike,

[rippednmichigan]

Sweet vids Mike, great work!

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

[Squatter]

Pendlay Rows looked pretty good Mike. Great explosiveness. I would suggest a better arch in the back and head up a bit looking more forward. Body English seemed to be kept to a minimum which is what you want on this left.

Great overall session before the masses descend on your village! Have agreat Thanksgiving & black Friday!

[MikeM]

Thanks Jimbo! I'll work on that arch with the rows. I kinda felt that too as I was doing them. I was tired though and didn't remember that until you pointed it out. Thanks.

Thankks fellas! Working on it. Exactly right Markie, no thinking with BBB, no need to even write down the workout as you can just remember it!

I made some progress today with squats, so that's good.

Wednesday, cycle 1, week 2

warmups: 2x 1 min Jump Rope, 15 hypers
Dynamic: 3x 5 squat jumps

Squat:
5x 200, 230, 260 (belt on last set as back was tightening up)

BBB: 5x 10x 160 (much easier this time! 165 next time)

2 Side Bends with 75, then said eff it. Some back yoga and rolled out.

5x 260: My daughter with the cameo

MVI 6578 - YouTube

MVI 6578 - YouTube

First 10x 160:

MVI 6579 - YouTube

MVI 6579 - YouTube

Third 10x 160:

MVI 6580 - YouTube

MVI 6580 - YouTube

Last 10x 160:

MVI 6581 - YouTube

MVI 6581 - YouTube

I had an epiphany of sorts with squats during my BBB sets. I've always seen guys kind of arch back into squats on the way up, but I could never actually do it myself. Well, today I just started doing it. Not sure if you can tell from the videos, but I can tell and it makes a HUGE difference.

Not sure what was going on with my low back on the last set of 5. It was just stiffening up and I didn't feel like I was going to get the 5 without the belt. Or if I did, it would have dealt out a beating on my back I don't want right now.

I really think today's BBB sets were easier too because I was expecting them to be hard so I was ready for battle.

Last week I went into them thinking they wouldn't be that hard and was just blindsided and it turned into a steel cage death match. This time I was mentally geared up to go after them. Plus, I had done them once, so I knew I could do them again.

Anyway, there you go. Well chuffed with today's squats.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Going to eat myself into a coma tomorrow, then back on the wagon Friday. Scale says I'm back down to 196, but belt still says my Abs are a ways away. Oh well, there you go. Early days with all this still.