Raising Mike's 1 rep max

[bruteforce]

Squats are looking good Mike. Keep up the hard work!

[MikeM]

Thanks, Brute! Geezers rule, BtB!

Was pretty sore today, so wasn't sure how it would go, but things went alright after I got going. I do think the more intense warmup is helping me.

Warmup: Shoulder stuff, dislocations, 30DB circuit of goblets, swings, burpees, and jumping jacks for 15 reps apiece. Was supposed to do some high pulls, but forgot.

Push Press:
10x bar, 15DB OH punches
8x 65,
4x 95
2x 115
1x 125, 135

5x 1x 155 (held each rep for 3 seconds, first and last rep lowered very slowly)

OHP (no push):
5x 5x 105
ss w/ 5x12x 50DB bent rows from floor

Chinups/Lat pulldowns
5/7, 4/8, 3/9, 1/11, and 0/12
ss w/ 5x 5x 135 CGBP (repped out last set to 9)

Added in some Reverse Flys (15x 10DBs) and Face Pulls (15x) to my usual shoulder stuff. Did them slow, no momentum, focus on the squeeze in upper back.

So it wasn't a good day for chinups. The rows probably hammered them a bit, but I was also having a bit of trouble with an elbow, so we'll see how it goes next week.

Also added in some close grip bench, and was shocked at how hard it was after pressing. The 135 was supposed to just be a bit of a warmup as I haven't done them in almost a year, but it turned into the weight I used. Triceps were just wiped out! I did get better as I went along and managed to rep out with 9 in the last set, but it suprised me how hard they were after everything else.

Arms felt like balloons afterward, had trouble reaching up to get my shirt off!

Anyway, good day. All reps accounted for and added in some volume successfully.

Onward and upward.

[tank]

yeah that's some pretty serious tricep work, 16+ sets. great work mike.

[BendtheBar]

Arms like balloons...like that.

Also added in some close grip bench, and was shocked at how hard it was after pressing.

One of the reasons I like to insert something like a row in between presses. My triceps take forever to recover.

Nice work as always Mike.

[MikeM]

Thanks, BtB and Tank! Things rolling along.

Had a great day today. First time in a long time a Friday went very well, usually it's Mondays or Thurs I can count on going super well, but there you go, I guess it can happen on Fridays too.

ANyway, Friday, week 6

Hypers and GHR: 1x 15x BW

Circuit: 20 reps Goblets, Swings, Burpees and Jumping Jacks

High Pulls: worked up to 2x 5x 135
Power Cleans: worked up to 3x 3x 115 (easy weight) 30 sec or less rest between all these sets.

Deadlift:
5x 115, 135,
3x 185
2x 225
1x 275

5x 1x 305 (held last rep for a few sec.)
5x 5x 255 (held the last rep for 15-20 sec)

Core: 5x 1 min. Planks, all went the full min. 2 min rest in between.

Had an epiphany on the deadlifts! I really think I'm close to having them figured out. My set up is miles better, tighter, and I did them today in socks so it made me realize I was not back on my heels enough in shoes. I also am more upright through the middle part, and kind of shrug my shoulders a bit as it goes past my knees so I get a little boost in that middle part where I always had trouble before.

Anyway, I'm very encouraged! Today was the easiest I ever pulled with over 300, and the 255s were very solid all the way through. Video next week with 315.

So, very good week all in all. Going to celebrate tonite with a monstrous steak and then fall into a meat coma until Saturday.

[tank]

excellent! great work mike, glad you're working that out. awesome you're learning what you need to do. keep it up!

[BendtheBar]

Had an epiphany on the deadlifts! I really think I'm close to having them figured out. My set up is miles better, tighter, and I did them today in socks so it made me realize I was not back on my heels enough in shoes. I also am more upright through the middle part, and kind of shrug my shoulders a bit as it goes past my knees so I get a little boost in that middle part where I always had trouble before.

Anyway, I'm very encouraged! Today was the easiest I

Glad everything went well Mike. If you can stay more upright through the heart of the lift you are going to save your back a lot of wear and tear.

Nice work hombre.

[MikeM]

Thanks Tank, BtB! Yep taking care of the back is of utmost importance. It's the only one I got.

Felt a bit under the weather today, and there wasn't any of my normal spotters handy anyway, so I took it a bit easy today on the top sets of the bench. I am also working on lowering the bar faster, and I think it is helpful as I finished the session less beat up than normal, but then again it wasn't a PR day, so more experimentaion is needed.

Monday, week 7

Warmups: Circuit 20 reps of everything done as fast as possible, shoulder stuff, dislocations, bar hangs and retractions, Plus 2x 5 reps of hang cleans to front sqauts to OH press with bar done fast too.

Bench:
10x bar, speed pushups, 65
5x 135, 155 (done fast as possible with good form)
3x 185 (fairly quick too)
1x 205

5x 1x 225 (lowered faster than normal and lockouts seemed quicker too)
5x 5x 185
ss w/ 5x 2 pullups

BB Rows
5x 10x 135
ss w/ 5x 12x 65 BNP (touched back of neck on every rep)

2x 15 Facepulls, 15x interior and exterior rotations, 15x plate throws, 10x 7.5 lb reverse flys done while laying on stomach on floor. Shoulder, back and hamstring stretches to finish. In case you're curious about my post workout routine on pressing days.

There you go. Squats tomorrow.

[MikeM]

Great day! Squats went excellent. Al had mentioned somwhere about dropping faster and rebounding more and it really worked well today. It meant I spent less time under the bar and had more energy to finish the lift stronger. 265s were much easier than last week. Nice. I'll get video of 275 next week.

Tuesday, week 7

Warmups: leg swings, active hamstring stretches, 15 BW hypers and ghetto GHRs, OH Squat hold for 25-30 sec.
Circuit: 20 reps of everything fast as possible
Jump Shrugs up to 2x 5x 165

Squat:
10x bar, squat jumps for height
5x 95, 115, 135
4x 185
2x 205
1x 225

5x 1x 265 (first two done without belt, and I really didn't need it)
5x 5x 205

Leg Press: 5x 5x 14 plates (+2 plates for all reps)
ss w/ 5x 15x 45 Side bends, each side

Leg and hip stretches and rolled out.

Not only did the faster descent help on the way up, it also left me fresher overall so I finished this session in just over an hour whereas usually squat day takes forever as I usually really need maximum rest between sets. Not today. And I don't know why, but I never really leaned forward on my heavy ones either which I sometimes have a problem with. That's why I forgot all about the belt until I'd done two already.

And I just felt so confident I was going to hit the weights, usually with squats I kind of dread the real heavy ones as those grinders take a huge toll. But today I hit my sticking spot with more energy and once I got my hips moving, the bar was up and racked. Very nice. Very pleased going forward.

So good news on the squat and deadlift front, now if only my bench would get unstuck. Still, can't have everything.

[BendtheBar]

Great day! Squats went excellent. Al had mentioned somwhere about dropping faster and rebounding more and it really worked well today.

Always good to see things like this. The slow eccentrics can really make the squat a bear. I'm sure removing some of that stress helped you bounce back a lot more quickly. Did you get video at all?