Two Overhead Press RMs

Last gym session for two weeks. Went out with a bang. 

Barbell Rows

155/12, 185/8, 205/7, 205/7, 205/7

Overhead Press

140/8, 150/8, 160/8 (8RM), 170/5 (5RM)

    * These felt great tonight!

Curls: 3 sets

Triceps Pushdowns: 3 sets

V-Ups: 3 sets

SBD Day

I'm taking a couple of weeks off from the gym after tomorrow, so I decided to do a SBD day today. The goal was to work up to a heavy single in each movement, but not to max out.

Low Bar Squat: 385

Paused Bench: 260

Conventional Deadlift: 455

Total: 1100

Not bad at all!  The low bar squat is feeling better and better. I think I'll have a shot to set a new squat PR at the competition in November. 

Tomorrow, I'm going to do some back and accessory work and then be out for a bit. 

Calgary Barbell Test- Week 4

2 Count Paused Deadlifts

310/6, 310/6, 310/6

Touch and Go Bench Press

165/10, 165/10, 165/10, 165/10

Romanian Deadlifts

195/8, 195/8, 195/8

Chins: 8, 7; Lat PDs: 2 sets, 10 each

Straight Bar Pushdows: 4 sets, 10 each, superset with EZ Bar curls for 3 sets

Calgary Barbell Test - Day 3

Pin Squats

265/6, 265/6, 265/6

   (low bar- felt good!)

Spoto Press

205/6, 215/6, 215/6

DB Rows

85's/10, 85's/10, 85's/10, 85's/10, 85's/10

Birddogs

6 each side x 3

Calgary Barbell Test- Day 2

Conventional Deadlift

worked up to 330/7, 330/7, 330/7, 330/7

  * No pain at all.

3 Count Paused Bench

160/5, 160/5, 160/5

2 Count Paused SSB Squats

245/5, 245/5, 245/5 

Incline DB Rows

65's/8, 75's/8, 75's/8, 75's/8, 75's/8

So far, so good. 

Calgary Barbell Test- Day 1

I signed up for my first official powerlifting meet, which will take place in November. To prepare, I think I'm going to run the Calgary Barbell 16 week program. This week, I will run a test of the first week of that program to see how my body holds up. 

Squats (Low Bar)

worked up to 270/7, 270/7, 270/7, 270/7

   * They felt great, so I hope my back holds up.

Bench Press (paused)

worked up to 180/7, 180/7, 180/7, 180/7

Overhead Press

135/8, 135/8, 135/8

Barbell Rows

165/12, 165/12, 165/12

(Deadlifts, 3 count paused bench, and paused SSB squats tomorrow)

Incline Bench

Incline Bench 

worked up to 185/6, 195/6, 200/6, 200/6

plate loaded shoulder press: 4 sets

plate loaded row machine: 3 sets

seated cable row machine: 3 sets

lat PDs: 3 sets

curls: 3 sets

abs: 3 sets

Squats

My back is feeling better, so I decided to do some squats tonight. High bar, though. Not sure low bar is for me because I have a funny feeling that's why I hurt my back last week. Shrug. 

Squats

135/5, 185/3, 225/3, 275/3, 315/1, 315/1, 315/1, 335/1, 355/1

   * No pain... felt good, didn't want to push it with a lot of reps, though. 

Barbell Rows

135/12, 135/12, 135/12, 175/8, 185/7, 185/8

Triceps PDs: 3 sets

Abs (rope crunches): 3 sets

Benching

Bench Press

205/4, 225/4, 245/3, 245/2, 225/4, 185/10

Close Grip Bench Press

185/8, 205/5, 205/5

DB Curls against Bench: 5 sets

* I am going to take about a month off from flat benching. I am way too in my head right now. I'll do some inclines, close grips, and machine work and reset in mid July. 

Trap Bar Deads & SSB Squats

Continuing to nurse my back injury. Doing what doesn't hurt.

Trap Bar Deadlifts

156/5, 156/5, 156/5, 246/5, 336/5, 336/5, 386/3, 426/3, 476/1, 476/1, 386/8

SSB Squats

155/5, 205/5, 245/5, 245/5, 245/5

GVT: Incline

My lower back has been wrecked all week for some unknown reason, so I haven't lifted since Monday.

I decided to do some light work today because I just gotta lift, bro.

German Volume Training: Incline Press

145/10x10  (random GVT session just because)

Close Grip Bench Press

135/8, 155/8, 175/7, 195/5, 205/3, 205/3

Plate Loaded Rows: 6 sets

Back

Back

   TRX rows: 3 sets

   plate loaded row machine: 3 sets

   plate loaded lat PDs: 3 sets

   T-Bar rows (barbell): 4 sets

   pulley rows- wide grip: 3 sets

   pulley rows- individual handles: 3 sets

Triceps pulley pushdowns: 5 sets

Abs: 3 sets

Technique Practice: Bench Press & Low Bar Squats

I decided to work on technique today.

Bench Press

135/5, 135/3, 185/2, 225/1, 250/1, 270/1, 270/1

315 hold for 20 seconds

315 hold for 20 seconds

250/2

250/2 pin press

275/2 pin press

290/1 pin press

Low Bar Squats

135/3, 135/3, 135/3, 225/1, 275/1, 315/3, 335/1, 355/1, 370/1

* I've made really no progress on bench for a year, so shrug.

* I spent some extra time warming up my shoulder to see if I could get in to the low bar squat position. The hardest part was racking and unracking the weight. The actual squat felt a lot easier than high bar at the same weight. If I can get comfortable with low bar, I think I'll be able to lift more weight in the long run. 

Squats

Squats

135/5, 225/3, 275/1, 315/1, 345/1, 365/1

315/5, 315/5, 315/5, 315/5

Supersets

   back extensions & abs: 3 sets 

   plate loaded row & plate loaded shoulder press machines: 3 sets

   rear delt machine & curls: 3 sets

 

Hip Thrusts

135/10, 225/8, 245/8, 245/8

Bench & Back

Bench Press (paused)

155/5, 185/3, 215/1, 235/1, 255/1, 255/1

225/5, 225/5, 225/5

Sling Shot Bench (paused)

275/3, 285/2

Barbell Rows

135/10, 175/8, 185/7, 195/6, 195/6, 195/7

Ring Rows: 3 sets

V-Ups: 3 sets

Triceps Cable Pushdowns (straight bar): 3 sets