Wk7 Deload: Prilepin Squat/DL

Yesterday:

12" Front Box Squats (265): 60x2, 80x2, 100x2, 125x2, 130x2x12.

24" Step Ups: 4 sets of 12 (each leg)

GHR w/70 lbs of assist: Failure at 7, 7,6,6 reps.

Straight Leg Pull Through (115): 60x10, 70x8, 80x8, 70x10.

Ab Circuit for 2 set

Spent 6 hours today in the hot sun doing a lot of lawn and garden work with my wife. We are both bushed, brown, and very thirsty. So there was my GPP work for the weekend:)

Jackass!!!

Yesterday, I saw two guys challenging each other with a 475 lbs squat. I was a little impressed. I didn't see the whole thing: I was too busy doing lying tricep extensions and focusing on the bar over my face to notice anthing more.

When I went to do the speed sumo's, I saw everything on my rest periods. The bar was set high enough that it was not even a quarter squat . . . . huh? He barely racked it, almost immediately started going down with it and after an inch of controlled descent, rounded his back and went down forcefully . . . almost dumping the bar. Huh? One of his friends walks over and asks him if he could even lift it and he dares to try. I could have told him he wouldn't and I'm sure he could have, too: the bar didn't even budge, and his back was REALLY rounded. This went on a few more times. Needless to say, I will never spot this guy.

I'm a fan of negatives and partials, but control is always a prerequisite. That was just an injury waiting to happen. I laughed on the inside, but felt really sorry for him.

For a second . . . .

Wk7 De-load: Prilepin Bench/Back

Close Grip Bench Press (200): 45x3, 60x3, 75x3, 95x3, 100x3x8. Done at lunchtime.

Nautilus Nitro Overhead Press (140): 70x10, 90x8, 100x8, 90x10.

T-Bar Rows (157): 75x10, 100x8, 115x8, 100x10.

Decline Tricep Extensions (80): 40x8, 50x8, 60x8, 50x10.

Ultra Wide Sumo Deadlift (315): 135x2, 155x2x12.

After the workout, I felt great. Not dead tired, but raring to go for even a game of basketball or a jog (I shot some hoop when I got home.). Refreshing . . . just what the doctor ordered. I kept my exercise selection simple, and my speed on the main movements was good and crisp.

Wk6: Prilepin Squat/DL

8" Front Box Squat (225): 50x6, 70x5, 85x5, 105x5, 125x5, 140x5, 170x6x3. Bring on week 7 . . . . that's how I spell relief.

24" Step-Ups: 4 sets of 10 for each leg. Burn, burn, burn!!!

Straight Leg Pull Throughs (115): 50x10, 70x8, 80x8, 70x10.

GHR w/70 lbs assist: Failure at 7, 7, 6, 6, reps.

Ab circuit for two runs.

Wk6: Prilepin Bench/DL Light

Yesterday, I spent time trying to straighten out the backboard on my sons basketball hoop, and tightening up all the bolts. Today, my thumb ached and my hand was sore. Didn't get any sleep, either, because of the Allegra I took for seasonal allergies. But I dutifully dragged myself into the gym.

Flat Bench Press (215): Three 10 second overloads with 225 lbs (60 seconds rest between them)

Nautilus Nitro Bench Press (215): 50x3, 65x3, 80x3, 100x3, 115x3x8.

Hoist Neutral Grip Chins (165: BW was 239.2 lbs today, used 2.5 lbs weights to get close to target weights): 81.7x10, 109.2x8, 121.7x8, 109.2x10. Fuck the Add 50 program, went with higher reps this time. I'se said it before, as you get great at limit strength, strength endurance suffers.

T-Bar Rows (157): 75x10, 100x8, 110x8, 100x10.

Nautilus Nitro Overhead Press: the two sets of 30s and 35s on the dumbbells were being used, so I went to this for a try. Not bad. 35x15, 50x12, 65x10, 80x10, 95x8, 110x6, 125x4, 140x1

Rack Pulls 2" Below the Knees (385): 90x6, 120x5, 150x5, 180x5, 210x5, 240x5x5. Good workout but because of the sore hand, the last three sets were done with a staggered grip. The reps were solid, just left me tired. Next week, 50 less lbs and 1 less rep on the total for deload.

Wk6: Prilepin Squat/DL Light

Yesterday's workout:

12" Front Box Squats (265): 60x2, 80x2, 100x2, 125x2, 145x2x12.

Hoist Seated Leg Curls (115): 115x5x2, 120x3x2, 125x3x1.

GHR w/70 lbs of assist: Failure at 7, 6,6,6 reps. I could never get my footing figured out on this setup. Can't wait for the day to get a real one.


Straight Leg Pull Through (115): 60x10, 70x8, 80x8, 70x10.

Ab Circuit for 2 set: Plank (5 10 second holds), lying leg thrusts, cable lifts (like a woodchopper from the bottom), ball crunches, cable woodchoppers, alternating supermans, side bridges, incline situps.

Will probably replace leg curls on my next workout with the 24" step up. Whatever will push up my front squat some more. Oh, and for Jon, you had a question on a triceps workout: Monday's workout left my triceps so sore I could barely wash my own back last night even with a scrubber . . . LOL!!!

Wk6: Prilepin Bench/DL

Week 6 is finally here . . . . woohoo!!! Deload is next week, time for new exercises and a break. You just don't know. . . . I'm craving a change.

Close Grip Bench Press (200): 45x6, 60x5, 75x5, 95x5, 110x5, 110x5, 125, 150x6x3. Felt great, good control, and cadence.

Hoist Neutral Grip Chinup (165: BWT 238.2): 148.2x5x2, 158.2x3x2, 168.2x2. I don't move up in weight this week, this was the last rep out week.

T-Bar Rows (157): 75x10, 100x8, 115x8, 100x10. This was hard after heavy chins; the last three sets were all rest-paused.

Seated Dumbbell Press (60): 25x15, 30x12,2, 35x10. With close grip benches being done heavy, I decided to do a couple of exercises for high reps. This burned my shoulders so much it HURT!

Decline Tricep Extensions (80): 30x15, 40x12x2, 50x10. Same story, different exercise.

Ultra Wide Sumo Deadlift (315): 145x5, 175x5, 205x5, 240x6x3. John Yeo said that rows are a bitch after DL. Well, DL after everything else was no picnic, either. Grip was a struggle, lockout at the top was, too. Done after a couple of high rep movements don't help, either. But deload is next week, so all my suffering was for a good cause.

My Turn, Guys!!!

I see that Charles Poliquin's article got curiosities up with Stinn, the two Johns (Yeo and McDonald), Scott, and Jon sharing their measurements. So I cut short my Prilepin week 5 leg day just a tad to measure and put my 2 cents in.

Close Grip Bench Press: 95x5, 115x5, 135x4, 170x5, 190x1, 175x4, 200x1 (I tested CGBP at 160 on April 29, a 40 lbs increase in 2.5 months), 180x2 (this was the beginning of a third wave where my target was to be 205, but the second rep was a strain and my right elbow was beginning to buckle so that was it), 125x10, 105x15. Could I have gone for 205? No. My goal was a perfect rep with no flair using a 14 inch grip (pinkies on the first rings) and I got it with a little extra concentration.

All of these were done before the CGBP:

Incline Bench Press: Target was 166 lbs, I got 185 for 2 reps.

Hoist Supinated Chinups: Bodyweight was 239.2 lbs, target was 162, I got 159.2 for two reps.

Behind the Neck Press: Target was 128 lbs, I got 125.

Preacher (Scott) Curls: Target was 92 lbs, I got 60 lbs for two reps. I got my work cut out for me.

Standing Reverse Curls: Target was 60 lbs, and that's what I got.

External Rotations: Target was 18 lbs for 8 reps. I barely got 8 reps with 10 lbs. Pathetic!!! That's what I get for not doing any RC work. That will change next cycle.

8" Front Box Squat (225): 50x6, 70x5, 85x5, 105x5, 125x5, 140x5, 155x5x4.

Assisted GHR with 70 Lbs Assistance: Failure at 8, 7, 6, 6 reps.

Found an Idea . . . . . .

Maximum Effort, Dynamic Effort, and Repetition Method Pull Up and Dip Training is the article by James Smith of EliteFTS.com. I got it from his website powerdevelopmentinc.com. I'm intrigued. Enjoy!

http://www.powerdevelopmentinc.com/abstracts/pullup-dip-training.html

Wk5: Prilepin Bench/Back

Nautilus Nitro Bench Press (215): 50x3, 65x3, 80x3, 100x3, 125x3x8. Good speed on these. Like I said before, since I don't have chains or bands to accomodate resistance, this will do nicely.

Hoist Neutral Grip Chins (165: BW was 242.5 lbs today): 165x3x2, 180x2x2, 180x1. The 165 was tough. The first set of 180 was alright but not as high as I would want, the second I only got one rep. The last 180 was a drag. I'm no longer using the Add 50 program after this. I've gotten stronger, but the gains are slowing and my explosiveness is non-existent. Fatal flaw! Need to think of something for next cycle, but I have ideas.

Rack Pulls 2" Below the Knees (385): 90x6, 120x5, 150x5, 180x5, 210x5, 240x5, 290x5x3. Used a double overhand grip until I started the 290s. On the first set, I got wussy and put on gloves: I struggled to hold on to the bar with a staggered grip, the gloves felt unnatural so I took them off for the next two sets. This workout went solid. I worked really hard but I didn't feel that drained afterwards. It's all lighter weight from here.

T-Bar Rows (157): 75x10, 105x3, 115x5x2. Tough because the rack pulls took it out of me.

Since I had done the heavy benches yesterday and speed benches today, I did no tricep extensions or dumbbell shoulder presses.

This is for All You Benchers

I read this article by Charles Poliquin on the T-Nation website called Achieving Structural Balance, and here is the link to it. In particular, it demonstrates the relationship between external rotations and the close grip bench, and how deficiencies in certain movements can slow progress. A great read!

Achieving Structural Balance

215!!!

Was reading "The Wave Manifesto" by Ian King on the T-nation site and was really intrigued. At the same time, I was reading Westside's article on Angelo Beradinelli, and it got me thinking. I have lifted as much as 185 for 5 reps, a 208 projected max, and 215 on the Nautilus Nitro Bench Press. Question was if I could generate enough speed to bust 215 and maybe 225 on the real deal. No amount of number crunching could tell me that. Neither can any machine, with their varying resistance curves. So, despite being scheduled for a light bench workout tomorrow, I decided to do a wave workout today based on that projected 208 max, and start deloading tomorrow.

Flat Bench Press: 105x5, 125x5, 145x4, 175x5, 210x1 (5 lbs PR over my best ever, a 3 second rep from chest to lockout), 185x4, 215x1 (10 lbs PR over my best ever, a 4 second rep from chest to lockout), 190x3, 135x10, 105x15.

When I racked 210, it felt so light in my hands that I got giddy, I knew this was mine but I didn't let myself get cocky. I tried harder to spread the bar apart and my lats flexed. It felt easy going down and when I squeezed my lats harder, the weight shot up about an inch and my arms took over. Smoke show!!! 215 felt about the same but it took me a second longer to get it. I was so happy but I didn't want to let out a whoop!!!

The overloads helped. The Nautilus Nitro helped, because I had a better "push" - - - I felt like I was pushing the whole way with no letup. I'm sure all the lat work isn't hurting any, and all the volume has conditioned me pretty good - - - one look at this workout will tell you that it was a doozy. So now, the thought turns to getting enough speed to break 225. I will drop the pushups and the barbell curls and replace them with t-bar rows and decline barbell extensions. To be honest, 225 might be mine now. I want a guarantee. That's all.

We'll see!!!

Wk5: Prilepin Squat/DL-Light

12" Front Box Squats (265): 65x2, 85x2, 105x2, 125x2, 155x2x12. First week of the deload. My goal was to go so fast that the weight wanted to fly off. It was that fast for the first 7 sets. After that, it was merely quick. 45 seconds rest between sets insured that I was sweating and breathing hard when it was all over.

Hoist Seated Leg Curls (115): 110x5x2, 115x3x2, 120x5x1. I did the rep out first, actually, so up to 120 I go.

GHR w/70 lbs of assist: Failure at 7, 7 reps.
GHR w/80 lbs of assist: Failure at 7, 7 reps. Much better with no negatives to do on leg curls.

Straight Leg Pull Through (115): 60x10, 70x8, 80x8x2.

Ab Circuit for 2 set: Plank (5 10 second holds), lying leg thrusts, cable lifts (like a woodchopper from the bottom), ball crunches, cable woodchoppers, alternating supermans, side bridges, incline situps. I will find another way to work calves, I want to put a lot of effort into my core from now on. Abs must die!!!

Wk5: Prilepin Back/DL

Hoist Neutral Grip Chin (160: Bodyweight 238.2): 148.2x5x2, 158.2x3x2, 158.2x5x1. Now moving on up to a 165 max.

As I bench maxed Tuesday, no pushups today.

Ultra Wide Sumo DL (315): 135x5, 145x5, 175x5, 205x5, 220x5x4. Easy, for a change.

Dumbbell Shoulder Press (60): 30x10, 40x8, 45x6x2

Barbell Curls (90): 50x10, 60x8, 70x5x2, 30x21s

Wk5: Prilepin Bench-Heavy Day Lunchtime

Close Grip Bench Press (186p): 225 overload (much tougher with a close grip), 45x6, 55x5, 75x5, 85x5, 105x5, 135x5x4. Was wearing a Nike top that was part Lycra part cotton, and it was slippery against the bench pad, so I was trying extra hard to stay tight. The weight was moving fast enough, too, that I was also trying to stay put! Otherwise, a relatively easy workout.

Week 5 will be the last week I use any overloads. Week 6 will have a 63% for the flat bench press: instead of the 5 sets of 5, I will do 8 sets of 3 and focus on speed. Coupled with the following week's 50% 1RM for 8 sets of 3, it will be like a two week deload. I also decided that 215 will be my big attempt. Depending on how fast it moves, I'll gun for 225 after that.

One Last Kick in the Pants!!!

Nautilus Nitro Bench Press: Overload with free weight bench press with 245 for 10 seconds, 105x5, 130x3, 150x2, 170x1, 195x1, 205x1, 215x1, 195x1, 205x1, 225x0. Went to free weights and did slow negative with 225. That's it for the big stuff!

Wk4: Prilepin Squat/DL Heavy

Lunchtime:

Nautilus Nitro Bench Press: With the three day weekend, my next weight workout is Wednesday, the beginning of week 5. So I thought I would try this program from Elite FTS - - - go to an article called Max Effort Waves and look at the Bulgarian cycle. Hell, 4 days to recover from it. Why the machine? One, to spare the joints and two, because I don't have chains and bands and wanted to accomodate resistance somehow. Workout: Overload with free weight bench press with 245 for 10 seconds, 105x5, 130x3, 150x2, 170x1, 195x1, 205x1, 215x1, 195x1, 205x1, 225x0 (barely budged it, just one long push that went nowhere). Jim Wendler wasn't kidding, one couldn't make a habit of this and one needs to be conditioned for it. Afterwards, I felt like taking a nap. 215 was an 8 second rep: on the Nautilus, it was hard every step of the way.

Evening:

8" Front Box Squats (225): 50x6, 70x5, 90x5, 105x5, 125x5, 140x5, 160x5, 180x6x3. The heaviest week of the cycle at 80% and it was so hard. I would say the twice a week of squatting AND deadlifting is making it hard but my deadlifting is getting easier while my recovery from the squats is slower. I've been front squatting since December so maybe I'm burned out on it. So, I may start deloading on these sooner to build speed and give my body a break or, since it's getting easier in the next two weeks, I'll stop being a puss and shut up and SQUAT!!! I know I was learning this movement and mastering it, but no more long, drawn-out love affairs with movements!!!

Hoist Seated Leg Curls (115): 110x3x2, 120x1x2, 130x1N. No more negatives . . . . hooray!!!

Straight Leg Pull Throughs (115): 50x10, 70x8, 80x6x2.

GHR w/70 lbs assist: Failure at 7 reps, 6 reps.
GHR w/80 lbs assist: Failure at 6reps, 6 reps. I'm sure with no leg curl negatives anymore that this will get better.

Ab circuit for two runs.

Have a safe 4th of July to all. . . . yes, ALL!!!