Raising Mike's 1 rep max

[Pull14]

Great work Mike and congrats on the bench and squat PR's.

[Spartigus]

Great work on the PR's! Keep smashing

[MikeM]

Thanks Pull and Spart. Thanks especially BtB. I was not too happy about those squats, so that encouragement was very timely. I appreciate that.

Anyway, nothing to do but just work at it and get better. There you go.

Thursday, week 3

OH DB walk w/ 40DBs 30-40sec.
OH DB Punches w/ 15DB: 2x 10, each arm

Push Press:
2x 10x bar, 10x 65
8x 95
5x 105
2x 125

5x 1x 155 (PR)

OHP: 5x 5x 105 (No Push)
ss with 3x 12x 50 DB Rows from floor

Chinup/Lat w/130:
7/5
6/6
5/7
4/8
3/9 (+3 reps!)

I included that warmup stuff as I think it is really helping me get prepared to lift. The idea is to do an unstable hold, then a speed motion, then start your ramping sets. I've been doing it for Bench, Rows, Squats, and Deadlift too for about a month. I got the idea from Men's Health. I think it works. FWIW.

Very pleased with the Push Press PR, so if I hit a deadlift PR tomorrow, that's a clean sweep of maxes for the big four lifts for this week. We'll see. I also held each rep OH for a count of two and lowered them all slowly, like a second or two.

I did OHP instead of PP on the back off sets becasue it occurred to me that PP improves your lockout, but doesn't do much for the start of your press, which is where I perhaps need the help a bit more. I think this is a good compromise. Oh, and I'm working in some Rows like I worked in Pullups on Mondays as I think it will help me in the long run since I think my back needs more work than my front so to speak.

And 3 more reps on Chinups! I realized I need to be taking a full 3 min break between those sets. I think I was rushing them as I was used to do them as finishers before. Now they are a main lift.

All in all, good stuff. Tomorrow we'll see if I can tweak that deadlift setup and see what happens. I'm more than a little excited about that! Could be a 300 lb deadlift tomorrow! We'll see.

[BendtheBar]

Get after that deadlift Mike.

5x 1x 155 (PR)

Awesome. Very strong. And congrats on the chin up progress as well.

[Fazc]

More PRs, good work Mike.

[MikeM]

Thanks BtB and Facz! Another ugly ass PR today! Clean sweep for the week, though!

Friday, week 3

Deadlift:
bar x a few
2x 10x 135 (second set done fast)
2x 165, 185, 205, 225
1x 300*

5x 1x 315 (PR), but a couple at least weren't locked out, my hands kept opening up

5x 5x 255

Jump Shrugs: 25 or so, worked up to 3x3 w/135
High Pulls 3x3 w/ 135
Power Clean: 1x 135

Incline situps: 5x 12x 20DB

I think the deadlifts went better. When it got really heavy, I did slip back into stiff legging it a couple times, but I know how to fix it now. I think. Need more practice.

Very pleased with the 315 though! 300 went up way too easy, so I said eff it, put 3pps! Totally maxed out today, but I think at least one of them would have got three whites. I hope!

I'm dropping Cleans for now. I did some practice motions today, and I may do more practice in the future, but only after deadlifting and only if I feel really good, because it's butt tiring to do them after deadlifting! More important to work on my deadlifts right now.

Videos are in reverse order. 5x 255, then the 315 reps, the first video was a 225 double on the way up, the first 315 was the one without my belt. I noticed that a bit too late! Just for comparison. I won't post a ton of videos every time.

MVI 4491 - YouTube

MVI 4491 - YouTube

MVI 4490 - YouTube

MVI 4490 - YouTube

MVI 4489 - YouTube

MVI 4489 - YouTube

MVI 4488 - YouTube

MVI 4488 - YouTube

MVI 4486 - YouTube

MVI 4486 - YouTube

MVI 4484 - YouTube

MVI 4484 - YouTube

[5kgLifter]

Looking good Mike!

[bruteforce]

Strong looking deads mike! Nice PR with the pressing too.

[BendtheBar]

Another ugly ass PR today!

They all turn into clean ass PRs sooner or later. Congrats Mike

Overall the form isn't too bad Mike. The biggest issue is that your hips come up as you start to pull. Next time focus on aggressively trying to stand up instead of trying to pull the bar off the ground. It sounds minor, but standing up generally naturally helps the hips stay down.

[MikeM]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

They all turn into clean ass PRs sooner or later. Congrats Mike

Overall the form isn't too bad Mike. The biggest issue is that your hips come up as you start to pull. Next time focus on aggressively trying to stand up instead of trying to pull the bar off the ground. It sounds minor, but standing up generally naturally helps the hips stay down.

Thanks, BtB! I will work on this.

Thanks Babs and Brute too!

Well, this week hasn't gone as planned. I woke up sick on Sunday, and I'm only starting to feel better today. So I'm adjusting my workouts for this week. I think I will be OK by Thursday if I can eat properly tomorrow, so I will bench then and Squat Friday, then OHP Sunday, and Dealift again Monday.

That will take me right up to my vacation over Thanksgiving. We're going to Disneyworld Tuesday. So that will be a nice break.