April 24, 2012 Upper

• Bench Press: 250*3 270*3 290*3 300*3
• Pullups: 50*3 50*3 50*3
• 1.5 Pullups: 5
• Push Press: 185*3 205*3 215*3 225*3
• Paloffs: 40*10 50*10 

Solid workout here, decided to throw in the 1.5 pullups since I haven't done them in a while.  Got back into the swing on push pressing.  Same with paloffs.  Going great.  Starting to pick up again after taking that week off. 

April 23, 2012 Lower

• BB DL: 405*3 450*3 475*1
• Hanging Power Cleans: 185*3 195*2 175*2
• Unilateral Deadlifts: 135*5 185*3
• Bird-Dogs: 10, 10

Taking it 'easy' or maybe less ball breaking is a better term.  I'm on a cut so I'm not going to have as much protein/materials to repair if I was going hard on deadlifting with 3 reps at 475 or so.  I need to look at form on the hanging power cleans, I'm leaving my feet STILL even trying to focus on not spreading them so wide on the catch.  Your feet should barely even leave the ground, and I do it constantly, with both feet moving about 2' out to each side.   For unilateral deadlifts I need to drop the weight big-time and just build up, it's completely different feeling from a deadlift.   Finished with bird-dogs.  Feels good to be doing more stability work.   Here's 2 videos on how to do hanging power cleans:

April 22, 2012 Conditioning

• 34.5" Plyo Box Jumps / Seated Plyo Box Jump Superset: 15-15
• Bench Plyo Clap Pushups: 5,5,5

Felt like I've had to exert extra effort on the jumps, I think I'm psyching myself out.  I may record a video of them next time I do them to see if something's different with my form.  Hopefully I'm not just getting old.  

April 20, 2012 Upper

• Incline Bench: 245*1 265*1 225*5
• Pullups: 50*3 50*3 50*3 50*3
• Seated Press: 135*3 155*3
• Standing Press: 175*3 185*2
• Ab-Wheel: 12

Fun session, been about 3 weeks since I inclined at all so it took a bit of a hit, probably be back up in a week or two.  Pullups went well; finger's feeling better.  All the racks were taken for the start of my press work, so I started in the seated press.  Didn't realize it was actually harder than standing press, but it definitely was. 

April 19, 2012 Lower

• Squats: 320*3 325*3 335*3 350*1
• Hanging Power Snatch: 135*3 145*3 155*1
• Wide-Stance Anti-Rotational Chop: 50*10 60*10

A tad sore from sprinting yesterday, but not too bad.  I'm sure tomorrow I'll be sore though.  Easing back in after the off week & record week that I took, so realistically it's been a few weeks since I squatting anything. Going to go back to full strength next week hopefully.  Focusing more on form with the snatches now.   I love the chops....seriously might be my favorite core exercise right now. 

April 18, 2012

• 100m Sprints: 2
• 60m Sprints: 4
• 100m Sprints:1

It was GORGEOUS out.  About 55 degrees and breezy, perfect for sprinting. I didn't even break a sweat.  I wish I had a few more recent sprint sessions under my belt, I would've stayed out longer.  I could've done 1500 meters in this weather.  As it is though I didn't want to destroy my legs before squatting tomorrow, and I'm just getting back into sprinting season. 

April 17, 2012

Found this photo from last October, I don't think I ever posted it.  Figured I'd toss it up, about 191 or so here.  Also, rare picture of me wearing glasses. 

April 17, 2012

• Deadlift: 405*3 405*3 405*3
• Bench Press: 250*3 270*3 300*1
• Pullups: BW*10 (slice on left pointer finger stopped me)

Odd week, had some stuff going on Monday so wasn't able to lift. Getting frustrating the last few weeks with stuff getting in the way.  From here on out I should be good though.  Just wanted to get in a double session here.  Sprinting tomorrow, squatting Thursday. Going to sore as hell Friday. I had torn open my pointer finger tip on my left hand on Sunday, it got pinched by a tripod. Still hurts pretty bad, so I did as much as I could here. 

April 15, 2012 Conditioning

• 34.5" Plyo Box Jumps: 15
• 34.5" Seated Plyo Box Jumps: 15
• Bench Plyo Clap Pushups: 5, 5, 5
• Battling Ropes: 60, 60

First time back doing conditioning in a while, had an odd problem on last few seated jumps, it was like I couldn't get off the box so I had to reset a bunch of times. Odd.   I actually feel like I'm doing better on the plyo clap pushups lately, like I have more spring. 

April 13, 2012 Upper

• DB Rows: 120*10 120*10
• Rope Pullups: 4 abs are shot
• Wide-Stance Anti-Rotational Chops: 50*10

So sore I can't even cough without doubling over. My abs are gone. My chest was so sore I couldn't bench today.  Again. Never taking another week off. Ever.  My body is just completely racked with DOMS right now. 

April 11, 2012 Upper

• Bench Press: 250*3 270*3 290*3 300*2 310*1
• Pullups: 50*3  50*3 50*3  50*3 50*3 
• Push Press: 185*3 225*2 215*3 215*3

I cannot describe how sore I am. I'm never taking another week off from the gym.  I hear people talk about how much stronger they come back after.....me it takes about 3 weeks to get back to the levels I was at before. Never again.  I literally can't even lift my arms over my head after this.  Fuck taking weeks off.  

April 9, 2012 Lower

• BB DL: 410*3 440*3 475*3
• Hanging Power Cleans: 200*2 210*1 185*3 185*3
• Glute Bridges: 315*3 365*4 405*4
• Ab-Wheel: 12, 12
• Bird-Dogs: 10

I don't do 'easing back into things' after taking my weeks off.  Deadlifting was hard, but I managed.  Now that I'm done with the bulk I can focus on form, as I said in my previous post.  I dropped the weight back on the cleans and focused on not landing wide on those last two sets.  It's amazing how much easier they are with good form.  I almost clipped my chin on that first rep of 185 I did.  I'm going to build back up on the weight using better form on the jump & landing.   Added in glute bridges as well, trying to focus on the contraction with them, and hip drive.  Did some abs after, can't forget about the wide-stance anti-rotational chops, I need to do them some point this week.  Won't be going to the gym tomorrow, I have a friend in Boston Visiting.  Wednesday will be my heavy/upper day. 

April 1, 2012 Olympic Lifting

• Hanging Power Snatch: 135*1 155*2 165*X
• Hanging Power Cleans: 170*1 190*1 205*1 215*1 225*1 NEW PR!! 230*X
• Push Press: 225*1 235*1 245*1 255*1 NEW PR!! 260*X

Can't believe I still can't get more on the snatches...form seems to be holding me back.  I'll be posting videos after youtube processes them.  Power cleans however I got a record which I'm happy with.  Push Press I hit 255, even if it was sketchy. And thus ends my bulking cycle, I accomplished most of my goals; my back's definitely thicker, I learned the o-lifts, I deadlifted over 500 lbs, got very close to standing pressing 200 lbs (I'll probably do that when I go back to the gym this coming week), and I got very close to my goal on push pressing, so I have something to keep shooting for.   

Now I can go back and look at form.  I feel like on the cleans & snatches after I jump when I land my feet are WAY too wide.  This gets me lower without actually dropping my hips when I catch the weight;  since it's a power snatch/clean I don't want to be dipping down.  But this also has the added effect that a lot of my energy is spent not exploding UP with the weight, but going towards moving my legs out to the side.   

VIDS

155 lbs. hanging power snatch, 2 reps

225 Push Press

255 Push Press (sketchy)

260 Push Press (Miss)