MILITARY PRESS/GRIP

Warm up
3x5x25 (dumbbells)

Working set
5x70
3x80
8x90 (est 1RM 114)

Assistance
MP 5x10x55
Pullups x 12, 12, 12, 12, 12

Grippers
1x10
2x10
L11@25mm x1
L12@20mm x1 (hell yeauh!)
L9@20mm x13, then L5@20mm x8 (RH)
L8@20mm x6, then L6@20mm x4 (LH)

Coin lift
25x2
30x1, x1
35x1
40x neg
30x hold

Blob 42.5 drags x10

WSH SERIES LEG 1

Leg 1 Events:
1. One Hand Vulcan Gripper - 20mm block close
2. Two Hands Pinch Lift
3. Half a Penny (one hand) – GripTopz
4. Shallow Hub (one hand) – GripTopz

>>> My grip training will focus on these events for the next couple weeks to try and make as good of a showing as possible on August 13th at World's Strongest Hands Leg 1 at the Movement Gym in Plymouth. 
 
Probably should have started about two weeks ago on the penny and hubs.  Vulcan I've been working the set constantly, but it's time to hone the crush a little more.  I have a 25lb plate that is a perfect shallow wider hub to train on. 

PINCH @57mm

5x116
Singles 5x146
Singles 3x156
10x125 (reset each time)

Blob drags
42.5 Fatman x10

>>> The last set of pinch was brutal! Form is getting much better and virtually no skin tears.

My 42.5 fatman arrived today and it's beautiful. Nice grippy surface. I can't pick it up either but it's close so I am switching to this one until I can then I will go back to the 50.

Also did a pretty easy L10 Vulcan close off the cuff.

SQUAT

Warm up
3x5x115

Working set
3x120
5x135 (was supposed to be 3, but forgot!)
12x150 (est 1RM 210)

Assistance
3x10x115 squats
2x10x45 good mornings
5x10 Lunges (both legs)

Mandatory
Blob drags x10
GHR negs x10

>>> Squat felt okay and knees were achy.  I switched to good mornings after three sets of squats because my left knee was tweeky.  Really happy with the last working set and could have pushed it farther, but I feel like I want to progress reasonably on squats since I have not done them in so long.

BENCH

Warm up
Push ups, 3x20

Working set
3x135
3x140
9x155 (est 1RM 201)

Assistance
Bench 4x10x115
Chair dips 4x10

Grippers
HG150 warm up
#2 x10
L7 x1, L10 x1, L11 miss
BBSM, 3 sets, RH x2, LH x1
L7, 3x10

Mandatory
Blob drags x10 (both hands)
GHR negs x10

>>> Really happy with the last set of bench.  Felt good and may have had another with a spot, but didn't want to risk it without. 

Blob drags are improving and I feel like my grip on the weight is better.  Pretty soon I might be able to drag it toward my thumb.  Right now I can only drag it toward my fingers. 

My Vulcan numbers are going to SUCK for WSH.  I'm still trying to sort out setting this thing.  Now it sounds like this year's spring is even harder.  Great.  I'm probably looking at a L9-L10 at best.  Pfft.  That's the highest level I have been able to set without bracing, and I can do reps.  A true 1RM on the Vulcan is impossible for me because I cannot physically set the gripper. 

DEADLIFT

Warm up
3x5x135

Working set
3x185
3x200
8x225 (est 1RM 285)

Assistance
3x10x135
GHR negs 3x10

2HP @57mm
3x3x116
4x136 (singles)
4x156 (singles)
10x115

Mandatory
Blog drags x10 (each hand)
GHR included in assistance work.

MILITARY PRESS

Warm up
Mowed the lawn.
3x5x45 press

Working set
3x65
3x75
7x85 (est 1RM 104#)

Assistance
Military press, 3x10x45, 2x10x55
Pullups, 5x10 (various grip)

Mandatory
GHR negs x8 (couldn't get 10, too painful from squat soreness)
Blog drags x10 (each hand)

>>> I wouldn't usually count mowing as a warm up, but we're in a stretch of record-breaking heat+humidity conditions.  I think the heat index yesterday was 105 or something.  Brutal. 

2HP PR at Nationals

This was my high moment for Nationals.  170.40# 2HP @ 162.6 bodyweight.  I've got plans to get a lot better at this lift for the 82.5kg WSH class.



SQUAT

Warm up
Jacks x100
3x10x45
20 x bodyweight squats

Working set
5x115
5x125
10x145 (est 1RM 193)

Assistance
4x10x115 squat
4x10 lunges (both sides)

Vulcan
L7, 4x10

Mandatory
10 x GHR negs
10 x Blob drags (both hands)

>>> Great workout.  My squat form is getting better and this workout did not make my knees hurt.  I focused on keeping my toes out, slightly wider feet, kept my knees wide, and stayed back on my heels.  Felt good. 

The "Mandatory" category is something I'm adding to every training session.  I am going to do 10 GHR negs every workout until I get better at them.  I am also going to do Blob drags every workout becuase that's all I can do with it right now.  I'll eventually add incline and then go for lifts.

NATIONALS

Nationals was an incredible experience.  I don't feel like there would be a write-up that I could give that could capture the electricity of the contest.  After writing a few comments about each competitor, I felt that it just doesn't do justice to the experience.  You know, so-and-so is a great guy.  So-and-so has crazy forearms.  The truth is that it's the sum of all these things that made it such a memorable time.  The sportsmanship, integrity of the judges and competitors, generosity of the sponsors, and comaraderie was all overwhelming.  I am very proud to be a member of this sport.

This was only my second competition.  Just like after my first comp (Adam Glass's Decathlon), I have a clear picture of what I need to do to get better.  Full body fitness, thick bar, and pinch pinch pinch pinch pinch.  Pinch is king. 

I've never been so excited and motivated to get back to training.  I am confident that my plans will pay off and my contest results will show the hard work.  I am very excited to compete in the 82.5 WSH weight class and I believe that if I work very hard I will be competitive in that class! 

My gripper performace was down from the Decathlon, but has not been a focus lately.  I closed a 141 gripper and closed a 149 in May.  2HP was my big success.  I hit 170# at 162 bodyweight.  That is a 18lbs contest PR, and a 10lbs all-time PR.  My medley was similar to the Decathlon medley.  Exposed my weakness for pinch feats and block weights.  Plateau Buster was down from the Decathon as well where I pulled 323 and only 300 at Nationals.  Overall I felt that I brought what I had for the events and the energy elevated my performance.  I expect bigger numbers from myself on the major events in the coming contests this year: three WSH legs and another Decathlon. 

Time to hit the gym!

    

BENCH

Warm up
pushups 3x20

Working set
5x115
5x130
10x145 (Est 1RM 193)

Assistance
Jack shit.

Grippers (between sets)
L8 Vulcan @ 20mm block, RH x12, LH x8
BBSM @20mm, x1
L8 Vulcan @ 20mm block, RH x10
#2, RH x5, LH x6
#1, no set reps x20, both hands.

>>> This workout was about not skipping a 5/3/1 workout, but also trying to play it safe because I don't want to be screwed up for nationals.  Bicep was a little tweeky on the 130 bench set, but is not bothering me now. 

In other news, we installed a paver patio this weekend in 100+ heat index conditions.  If you don't speak heat index, that hot as hell and humid as f***.  We ended the day, worn, beat, tired, and battling heat exhaustion.  But we got it done.

DEADLIFT

Warm up
3x5x135

Working set
5x165
5x190
6x215 (est 1RM 258)

Ain't doing jack shit
>>> no assistence because I need to work on 2HP before Nats!

2HP @57mm
140 x1, x3, x3
150 x1
165 x0, x0 (first lift came off the ground)
140 x1, x1
120 x10

>>> I tried the 57mm width because that's roughly the width of the 2x35s that I used to pinch on.  My PR in this lift is still on those old 35s.  However tonight I hopped 165 off the ground which would have been a PR!  I have not been able to budge that much weight on the 2HP setup so far.  I still hope to get some advice before the contest next week, and unless someone like Jedd can really give a good tip, I'll pinch at 57mm for the contest.

MILITARY PRESS

Warm up
3x5x45

Working set
5x60
5x70
10x80

Boring But Big
MP, 5x10x45
Chins, 5x10 (various grips)

5/3/1 STARTING MAXES

DEADLIFT: 280 x .9 = 250
SQUAT: 180 x .9 = 165
MILITARY: 100 x .9 = 90
BENCH: 190 x .9 = 170

Yes, my bench is higher than my squat.  I repped out on 135 for squat and estimated the 1RM.  And my right knee swelled up a little, but went down again quickly.  I need to ease into squats.  Knees are a little achy today. 

I wanted to mention that I went on a couple of bike rides this weekend too.  I have been enjoying biking more than I thought.  If you had have asked me, "Do you like to bike?"  I would have said "no" but I think the correct answer is "yes."

NEW LOOK

The the new look of my blog represents my new outlook on training; starting now. 

Simple is what I'm after. 

One thing I know about myself is that if there is any question about what to do or how to do it; I'll do nothing.  Or, I'll go gonzo trying to max out on reps or weight.  In other words, I can be trusted to train myself. 

A trainer I respect advised me to steer clear of programs.  Simply say, "No thank you, I don't need your program."  What I'm sure he must have meant is, "I don't need your gimmick."  I can't see the harm in having a plan, in the form of someones program, so that Matt Cannon is not trying to reinvent the wheel.  Which if I am to be charged with creating a program, it should be marketed it as How to handicap yourself in a matter of weeks!  I'm sure it would go gangbusters if Tony Horton hosted.

5/3/1 is the simplest program I have ever seen.  The reason it appeals to me right now is because it seems like a simple plan that could be called "Weights 101."  It's not really even a program.  He didn't really do anything except show you how make a plan using Microsoft Excel.  It's simple and dummy-proof. 

I am essentially a beginner.  I don't know what to do, really.  I can't move a lot of weight.  I have not trained major lifts since high school.  I need a heaping helping of basic.  And this seems like a plan I can handle.  Three days per week.  If I have to get in, do the major lifts and get out--I think that will still be really good for me.  Because it's better than nothing which is what I've been doing for the better part of 14 years.  (And it's frightening that I've been out of high school that long!)

This is going to be my focus for the foreseeable future.  For the first time ever, I will work in grip exercises when possible.  And guess what--I expect any grip exercise I care about to go up at the same time.  Currently the grip exercises I care about are grippers, 2HP, and axle.  That's about it.  Meat and potatoes.  Basic. 

Finally, my infatuation with Battersea Power Station ties all this together for me.  It's an iconic fixture for my first love in music--Pink Floyd.  It's simple and symmetric in design, built like a fortress, and it's a damn power plant.  For these reasons, when I look at Battersea Power Station, I think about hard work, energy, and generating PRs.  I want these simple things from my training. 

bicep trouble

I've been having that strained feeling in my right bicep again for about a week now.  It actually showed up the morning after my 5K race.  No explanation for the pain, but it sure is lingering.  I ordered some Cissus RX and hope to get about two weeks of that under my belt prior to Nationals.  I don't like the idea of resting until Nationals, but when this was bothering me last year, rest was the only thing that helped....and it took a helluva lot longer than two weeks to feel better. 

My hopes are as follows:
1) Cissus really makes a difference.
2) It's not that bad afterall because no straining event brought it on like last time (which was multiple 20 rep sets of Rolling Thunder).
3) It will go away as suddenly as it showed up. 

Bike rides

It's been stinkin hot here, like 100+ heat index.  My car crapped out and needed $1900 in repairs so I drove it to Goodyear and then biked 5 miles home on Wednesday.  Then last night I biked the 5 miles back to get the car.  I really enjoyed both rides as they were kind of late and on trails mostly.  Lots of fireflies out and about.  Neither ride was very long, but I really like going.