Elite FTS Beginners Program: Week 2 DE Bench

Dynamic Bench Press: 130x3x8, 150x2. 8 sets of 3 done at 60% 1RM of 215 lbs, plus a set of 2 reps done at 70% 1RM. Was tempted to add chains to keep the bar from getting squirelly at the top, but I will stick to the program as written.

4-Board Press: 155x6, 185x3, 215x3. Done with pinkies on the rings. 10 lbs more than last time with more stability, so my wrists are beginning to get stronger, too.

DB Bench Press: 55x10x4.

DB Rows (Elbows In): 55x10x4.

Superset:
Band Triceps Pushdowns: 4 sets of 12. Got all the reps here. No where to go from here but up, because I don't stand a chance against the green band.
Preacher Curls: 50x10x4. So easy this week, I'm gonna give 55 lbs a go next week.

EFS Beginners Program: Week 1 DE Squat/DL

Parallel Box Squat: 115x2, 135x2, 155x2, 175x2x10.

Speed Deadlifts: 195x1x10.

Reverse Hyper: 30 reps in 5 sets (5 sets of 6 reps).

Side Bends w/Dumbbells: 30x10x3

Lying Leg Raises: BWTx10x4

Single Leg Calf Raises: 6 sets of 7

EFS Beginners Program: Week 1 ME Bench

2-Board Bench Press: 45x5, 70x5, 95x5, 120x5, 145x5, 170x5, 195x5. Put on the wrist wraps for the last set, my wrists some work. The reps were smooth, the last one at 195 was slow.

Pullups (Purple Band/Monster Mini): Tested out to a 9 rep max, divided that by half, then did 5 sets of 5.

3-Way Shoulder Raises: 5x20x3. I had to rest pause after 15 reps of the side raises in the first set, and had to rest pause a bit in the later sets. My shoulders felt very puffy after that.

Dumbbell Triceps Extensions: 12x10, 15x10, 20x10, 25x7. Was supposed to do 3 sets of 10 but I wanted to know what my 10 rep max was.

Reverse Curls: Tested out to a 65 rep 1RM since it's been a long time since I've done this movement, then did 40x10x4. This exercise may get my wrists back on track.

EFS Beginners Program: Week 1 ME Squat/DL

Close Stance 12" SSB Box Squat: Bar (75 lbs)x5, 100x5, 125x5, 150x5, 175x5, 200x5, 225x1.

Glute Ham Raises: BWT for 30 reps (sets of 12, 10, 8 reps)

DB Lunges: 30x10x3.

45 degree Back Raises: BWTx15x3

Weighted Situps on a Slant Board: 10x10x3.

This is exactly like the manual, sort of. It does not specify a particular bar. I wanted to start working the heavy stuff with the SSB. I found myself having to focus more with heavier weight, especially from the bottom. The lunges killed me after squats.

Elite FTS Beginners Program: Week 1 DE Bench

After a week off that I should have taken first, I decided to start over but this time, I am not warming up to it, training for it, or changing much beyond adding biceps work. If there is a substitution, I'll indicate it but my plan is to follow it to the letter for twelve weeks.

Dynamic Bench Press: 130x3x8. 8 sets of 3 done at 60% 1RM of 215 lbs.

4-Board Press: 135x6, 165x3, 195x3. Done starting from my dynamic bench weight. This week was to done to establish a base line for the next two weeks, not to PR. Done with pinkies on the ring.

DB Bench Press: 55x10, 55x9x2. I tried for the recommended 3 sets of 10 but couldn't.

DB Rows (Elbows In): 55x10x3. No style was specified in the manual, so I chose this one.

Triceps Pushdowns: 4 sets of 12, 11, 10, 9 reps. I don't have a machine so I used purple bands (one for each hand) looped over the top of the rack so that I would have tension at the top position. The goal was 4 sets of 12, but this exercise smoked my triceps something fierce.

Preacher Curls: 50x10, 50x9x2, 50x8. Goal was 4 sets of 10. Maybe next time.

Week 2: DE Bench

Dynamic Bench Press (60 seconds rest): 130x3x8, 150x2.

2-Board Bench Press (60 seconds rest): 155x3, 175x3, 205x3. Next week, I go for 215x3 (Whatever I can triple off of a 2 board, I can single)

Incline Blast Strap Pushups: 40 reps in 5 sets (11, 9, 8, 6, 6 reps). I talked to my oldest brother today. I recommended the Blast Straps to him in December and since then he is now up to 35 reps for pushups. I'm jealous.

DB Rows (Elbows In): 50x10x4.

Superset:
Nosebreakers: 40x15x3
Preacher Curls: 40x15x3

Week 1: DE Squat/DL

SSB Parallel Box Squat: 115x2, 135x2, 155x2, 175x2x10. On these, I went wider than I normally do and tried to be as quick out of the hole as possible. My speed was good but not stellar, I'll get there.

Speed Deadlifts: 195x1x10. Same.

Reverse Hyper: 30 reps in 6 sets (6, 5, 5, 5, 5, 4 reps). These felt really good. For these, I hooked monster mini bands to the bottom rear of the GHR and the other ends to carabiners hooked on to ankle straps. Then I faced the unit backwards and held on to the footplate. There was enough tension at the beginning of the movement so as to get that feeling at the bottom as if your feet were being pulled under.

16" Lateral Step Ups: 20x10x4

Lying Leg Raises: BWTx10x4

Week one is over and it wasn't bad. A relief from the volume of the past. Or because of it.

Week One: ME Bench

All Notation: Weight x Reps x Sets

Hoist Assisted Neutral Grip Chinup: 80x3, 100x3, 120x3, 130x3, 140x3, 150x3, 160x2. Could not get the third by a mile. Maybe next time.

Hammer MTS High Row: 50x10x4

Hammer Shrug: 140x10x3

DB Lateral Raises: 5x10, 8x10, 10x10, 12x10

Hoist Assisted Dips: 210x2 test, then 170x5x5

DB Curls: 20x10x4

Week One: ME Squat/DL

Arched Back Good Morning: 75x3, 95x3, 115x3, 135x3, 155x3, 175x3, 195x3, 205x3 (3RM). I expected a little more but I will take it. It's been a while. The 205 took all the control and focus I had.

GHR: 30 reps in 4 sets (12, 7, 6, 5 reps)

DB Lunges: 30x10, 40x10, 30x10. The 20 lbs dumbbells were a bit too much so I went back to the 15s.

45-degree Back Raises: 4 sets of 12.

Roman Chair Situps: 3 sets of 10. Did these on the GHR. Never again: didn't feel them in my abs, felt them more in my hip flexors.

Single leg calf raises were done in between sets. When I couldn't do anymore, I switched to two feet, no weight, for reps.

EliteFTS Beginners Program - Sort Of:)

After Spring 2006 PRT, I took too long a layoff, got demotivated, got food poisoning, the cracked a rib. Not a good beginning.

This time, still sore from the run, my layoff was just the weekend. Good thing the first day of this program is Dynamic Bench Day, so the legs get a break.

I've had the EliteFTS' Beginners Manual for a while now and am just now using it. Normally, it is 12 weeks long, but I added 6 more. After a long time of 2-3 squat and deadlift days a week for months, I didn't want to start out with either. Plus I had some unfinished business. So, the ME days for the first 6 weeks are back movements, not benches: Hoist Neutral Grip Chinups and Hammer ISO Rows, and then I will be where I want to be back wise. The ME days for squat/DL will be arched back good mornings and 13" front box squats: I want my good morning at least to be 260 lbs single/255 lbs triple, and my front squat to be 85% of my best box back at the same height. Everything else is pretty much like the book. Which means no accomodating resistance (chains/bands), 3x3 of heavy boards/rack lockouts after dynamic bench, and a good volume of accessory work. I've jury rigged a reverse hyper using a GHR and bands, so I'll be using that. The only thing I've added is bicep work on bench days, and calf work on leg days. My goals are a 250 lbs bench, a 365 lbs squat, and a 405 lbs deadlift. Right now, I'm starting with my PRs from the Virtual Meet (315 SQ, 215 BP, 365 DL).

My reasons for this program is mainly because a lot of the repetition work I've done utilizes weights I've done before for the most part. Though I obviously do get stronger, I want a radical shift in strength to push the rep work to new heights. That, and I want numbers I've never had before.

I'll get the running stuff figured out soon enough. Until then, let's go. As always, all notation is weight x reps x sets.



Dynamic Bench Press (60 seconds rest): 130x3x8. My form got better midway. It's been a while, so my speed benches are a bit sloppy.

2-Board Bench Press (60 seconds rest): 135x3, 165x3, 195x3. Done just to establish a baseline. Did not go to failure. The weight felt heavy at the end, my body has got to get used to lifting heavy.

Incline Blast Strap Pushups: 30 reps in 5 sets (9, 7, 6, 5, 3 reps).

DB Rows (Elbows In): 50x10x3

Superset:
Nosebreakers: 40x12x4
Preacher Curls: 40x12x4

This workout felt like a relief. Not very draining at all. Especially after the last few weeks.