Low back workout

Out of time again, so here's the lift and a video of me @ 515 and Nathaniel @ 305 (PR!):

Warm-up x 3, good mornings
Deadlift 7 sets up to 515
Rack pulls x 2 up to 535
Superset, good mornings - straight-leg deadlift - bent rows x 2

Bench day - HEAVY!

I hit a light deadlift and log-press workout yesterday, and today a short, but effective lockout bench lift with Brian.  I'm short on time, so here is the video from my phone!

Light axle workout

I lifted with Brian yesterday at my house and since he had just competed in Vegas, we kept everything light.  Honestly, I was pretty sore from my Saturday squat, anyway, so it worked out well!  We squatted and overhead pressed using the axle and I have plenty in the tank for a few more lifts before we head off to Europe.

Here is yesterday's workout:

4/23/2012
				Weight	Reps
Axle squat				115	10
				115	10
				205	8
				205	8
				255	5
				255	5
				295	5
Axle seated press				115	6
				115	6
				145	6
				165	6
				165	6
				165	6
Stretch

Squat Saturday

Today I was a lone wolf!  Brian is competing in LV, Van is running a cross-fit show, Dave was MIA and Thayne has a knee injury...so I squatted!  I felt pretty good after I got loose on about the 5th set.  I had more weight in me, but when lifting alone you have to be careful so I stopped at 505 lbs.  Here is a video of the top two sets:

And here is today's lift:

4/20/2013
				Weight	Reps
Shoulder rehab work				25	250
Squat to 20 inch box			warm-ups	45	30
				155	6
				265	4
			work sets	325	3
				385	3
				445	3
				505	3
			back-off set	365	3
Calf raises				265	30
				265	25
				265	25
				265	25
Shrugs				155	20
				155	20
				155	20
				155	25
Additional shoulder rehab work				25	200
Abs				60	260
Stretch
			45	min cardio

I'm exhausted!

I went and trained with Van Hatfield on Tuesday.  Few people make me feel small and weak, but he is one of them!  I've apparently been too exhausted to even blog! :)

Here is what we did:

Deadlift
5 warm-up sets, 4 plateau sets @ 500, 1 back-off set

Rack pressing strict
4 warm-up sets, 4 plateau sets @ 185, 1 back-off set

Back superset
Good mornings/straight-leg deadlift/bent rows
Last 2 on the axle @ 215 and GMs @ 225
3 straight sets with minimal rest

My back has just been torched for the past few days...time to get back to it!

Thanks for reading!

Speed Bench Workout

I took a page from Louie Simmons today and made a long, but good, bench workout.  We hit regular, dumbbell, band and floor work along with some upper back lifts to round out the day.  Here is a video of the floor supersets that we did:

And here is today's workout:

				Weight	Reps
Shoulder rehab work				25	250
Flat Bench Speed Day				145	3
				185	3
				205	3
				225	3
				245	3
				245	3
				245	3
				275	3
				275	3
				265	3
Floor press superset w/ medicine ball				135	10
				50	20
				135	12
				50	20
				135	12
				50	22
				135	6
				50	20
Standing rows bands				150	20
				150	20
				150	20
				150	20
Pull-downs bands				150	15
				150	15
				150	15
				150	15
Decline burnout bands				150	35
Dumbbell chest press burnout				50	20
Abs				60	200

Thanks for reading!

Pre-meet training

There is a competition in Vegas next week for strongman called Sin City, and Brian is competing.  Today was more about him winding down and getting ready for that show than anything.  As a result, I hit my lift in two pieces - one at his place, then finished up at mine.  We basically just did yoke presses, and the rest was done here:

4/13/2013
				Weight	Reps
Shoulder rehab work				25	850
Yoke pressing				100	15
				100	12
				100	12
				140	8
				140	8
				140	8
				160	8
				160	8
				180	6
				180	6
				180	5
Abs				60	100
Stretch

I took Friday off, but on Thursday played basketball for about 90 minutes - great for cardio!  I was fresh off a squat lift, so basketball was tough, and afterwards I was doubly sore, but by today I was feeling fairly good, again.

That rounds out the week.  For the year, I'm ahead on cardio and about on track with weight lifted.  My squat and overhead pressing are clearly up.  Hard to assess where I am on deadlift and other things that require hands heavily as I simply can't do it right now, but soon we shall see!

Thanks for reading!

Squat day with shoulders

I won't bore you with another squat video, though I will comment that I hit 505 for a really easy rep tonight which leads me to believe my max is up, though I won't be testing it for a while.  Whatever the max may be, it is higher and I am stronger so I'm happy.  My forearm injury can probably be thanked as it has forced me to focus more on lower body in the past 6 weeks.

Here is today's 9 set squat workout with some other auxiliary stuff:

				Weight	Reps
Shoulder rehab work				25	500
Squat 5 set warmup				various
	Work sets			355	6
				405	3
				455	3
				505	1
Yoke walks				505	20
				405	20
Abs				60	200
Stretch
			10	min cardio

Thanks for reading!

Shoulders - mega pressing day!

Brian came to my place today and we hit a solid shoulder workout consisting mainly of pressing.  My shoulders didn't really hurt, which is good.  I know they are still a lingering issue in the backdrop, but they didn't show up today, so I'll take it!  Here is a video of log-pressing:

We hit log and axle for a somewhat high volume day.  My press on 255 x 3, seated, gives me hope that my standing press is improving, too, though I haven't tried it in a few weeks, mainly due to my ongoing forearm pain.  We rounded out with a couple of supersets, some abs, and some stretching.  Workout as follows:

4/9/2013
				Weight	Reps
Shoulder warm-up				25	100
Log seated lockouts				65	10
				65	10
				115	8
				165	6
				215	4
				235	4
				255	3
				165	8
Medicine ball				50	20
Axle static standing press				135	8
				135	8
Lat/front raise superset				15	40
				15	40
Axle burnout standing press				135	8
Abs				60	120
Stretch

Miscellaneous workout day

I'm short on time, so here is the lift!

4/8/2013
				Weight	Reps
Rows superset				75	30
Axle curls				25	50
Axle Squat				135	10
Axle Walks				135	25
Rows superset				75	30
Axle Squat				255	8
Axle Walks				255	25
Rows superset				75	30
Axle Squat				255	8
Axle Walks				255	25
Rows superset				75	30
Axle curls				25	50
Rows superset				75	30
Axle curls				25	50
Rows superset				75	50
Axle curls				25	60
Stretch
			10	min cardio

Sand in my mouth!

I lifted with Brian today at Eastside.  We hit axle zerchers and sandbag good mornings.  These are both lifts that, despite appearances, don't actually hurt my forearms.  The zerchers tug a little bit at the strained muscle I have around my sternum but otherwise feel pretty good.  We stayed light on those working up to two sets on 255.  For the sandbag workout (video below), not sure on the weight...somewhere between 160 and 200.  We did three sets of this.  It is great training for stones, deadlift, and obviously sandbag stuff.  Without further ado, here is the video, and as always, thanks for reading!

Yoke pressing overhead

Here is yoke pressing!  You won't see this in an average gym...or really anywhere for that matter as Brian came up with this, as far as I know.  He has a perfect yoke as it only weights about 100 lbs.  It is an ideal implement to overhead press and hit all the little sustaining/balancing muscles as the weight moves around awkwardly on either side.  I actually cracked myself in the chin doing this last week!  Without further ado, here is the video:

Today I focused on hands and forearms.  I continue to have issues with my forearm extensors, although they are getting better.  I did some work with my Iron Mind rubber bands and some other light resistance work for those areas.  I also stretched and did abs, with some cardio.  I'm saving energy for a heavy squat workout tomorrow, otherwise I likely would have squatted today.  Tomorrow should be a beast, so tune back!

Thanks for reading!