September 2, 2013 Lower / Light

• Squats: 300*4 315*4 335*3 335*3
• Front Squats: 225*3 235*3 245*2
• Good Mornings: 145*5 155*5 165*5
• Wide-Stance Anti-Rotational Chops: 70*10

42 minutes

Good session, happy with the 335 triples I hit back to back.  A little over a month ago I was having trouble hitting it for 1 without folding. Taking big gulp of air before reps, and the focus on getting down into the hole faster, along with good mornings bring up my lower back has helped immensely.  

November 16, 2012

• Squats: 225*5 275*5 305*2 315*1
• Squats From Pins: 245*3 265*1
• Hanging Power Snatches: 135*3 140*3 145*1
• Front Squats: 185*3 205*3 
• Paloffs: 60*10 70*10
• 16 lbs. medicine ball wall throw: 10, 10

44 minutes

Too much stuff!  I think all of that is too much for my lower back, it's going to get overloaded.  The squats went well, banged out a couple extra at 275 & upped 3rd set to 305 from 300.  I need to add in some hypers here I think, or maybe on deadlifting day.  Love squatting from the pins; going to drop the weight some and really bang out some reps.  Front squats I was slumped forward badly, my lower back was exhausted.  Tried to pin my core but it was tired. Rest of the session went well. 

So here's the thing...my leg days are sort of muddled; one is hamstring based with quad work in it, and the other vice-versa.  Fridays I'm hitting quads with squatting, glutes/hams with the power snatches, and glutes/hams/back with the reverse-hypers I do here occasionally.  Tuesdays I'm hitting my posterior chain with deadlifts, and the glute bridges I'm going to be adding back in...but then bulgarian split squats are very quad centered for me.  So here's what I'm going to do:

Tuesdays:

Deadlift x 3

Hanging Power Snatches x 3

Hanging Power Cleans x 3

Reverse Hypers (or glute bridges) x 3

Core x 2

Conditioning perhaps

Fridays:

Squats (or Front Squats) x 5

Squats from Pins x 3

Bulgarian Split Squats x 2

Core x 2

Conditioning 

This way I'm hitting my posterior chain really hard on Tuesdays, and my quads more on Fridays.  I high bar squat anyway, so it always hits my quads more. PLUS this gives me a way to put both of my main o-lifts on the same day, since I had tinkered with giving them their own day in the past.  This should allow my CNS to recover more, since I'm not doing anything explosive on Thursdays, Fridays, or Saturdays now.  I'm really excited for this! 

August 14, 2012 Lower

• Snatch-Grip Deadlift: 135*5 185*5 205*5 225*5
• Hanging Power Clean: 135*5 155*5
• BB Front Squats: 225*2
• Paloffs: 70*10

I'm a bit behind on entering these; I moved on the 16th-19th so I'm just catching up now.   

My back is still sore, as is the piriformis on my left side.  It hurts getting in and out of my car, but by and large it's abating.  Once I start moving/exercising I'm fine, it's only when I'm sedentary for extended periods that I run into problems.  Wanted to deadlift something but didn't want to reinjure or aggravate anything; so I did some snatch grip deadlifting, and kept it light.  Did some hanging power cleans after just to keep the tracks greased for when I return to heavier weights. Tried front squatting, but by that point my back was getting fatigued and didn't want to risk anything. 

June 26, 2012 Lower Body

• Front Squats: 225*2 250*2 275*1 300*1
• Hanging Power Cleans: 165*3 185*3 205*1
• Battling Ropes - Rope Slam Superset: 70-10 60-10

Wow...so I wanted to do something different besides deadlifting here.  Tied my front squat record. Had no intention of going for it, I just have issues not going heavy when lifting.  Was exhausted for power cleans.  Hamstrings are still beat to heck from kb swings on Sunday. 

February 6, 2012 Lower / Heavy

• Deadlifts: 410*3 440*3 480*2
• Hanging Power Cleans: 185*3 195*3 205*1
• Front Squats: 225*3 245*3
• Lying Leg Curl: 90*10 110*10
• PUPP: 1:30

No real hangover from the max pull last week.  I was really super energized for this. First day at new job so I had the pound of rice about an hour before this and was peaking.  Those first 8 sets were done in about 16 minutes, which is about twice as fast as I'd usually do them in.  More emphasis on hamstrings with the leg curls. 

January 23, 2012 Lower / Heavy

• BB DL: 405*3 430*3 450*3 475*2 NEW PR!!
• Hanging Power Cleans: 185*3 195*3 205*X Exhausted 135*8
• Front Squats: 225*3 245*3
• Shoulder-Touch Planks: 12

WHOOOOOOOOOOO.  Old PR was 475*1 over the summer, 197 lbs. for this today.  Was exhausted after but tried some power cleans.  Did some front squats...they actually felt good, core was tight on them. Things are coming together well!

January 9, 2012 Lower Body / Heavy

• Deadlifting: 405*3 430*3 450*3 460*3
• Hanging Power Cleans: 185*3 195*3 205*3
• Front Squats: 225*2-EXHAUSTED
• Kneeling Paloff Presses: 35*3 45*3

Well now!  I looked back through my log book and thought I did 440*3 last week, so I went for 450 this week.  I felt I had another set in me so I did 460.  I actually think I could've had 465 had I gone for that instead.   I realized after that I flipped back 2 weeks when looking at the 440*3, I did 450 last week, so it's fortunate I did that extra set, otherwise I wouldn't have made any progress this week.  The good thing is I learned that I'm definitely gaining strength, I could feel it after that 3rd set at 450.  I think this is the 7th straight week I've broken my 3 rep personal record.  Went to the hanging cleans after this.  Was definitely tired for them.  The 205 3rd rep was UGLY, if I was less flexible probably would've damaged my wrist.  Finished with kneeling paloffs.  REALLY enjoy those things.  

December 22, 2011 Lower / Light

• Squats: 290*5 300*4 310*2
• Hang Snatches: 95*3 115*3 135*3 145*3 155*2
• Front Squats: 185*5 205*5 225*5

I don't get squatting.  I just don't.    I've heard people say to 'sit down between your hips' or something like that for squatting.  I feel like I am, but it makes no difference.  I get to parallel and it's like my hips, hamstrings, glutes, and quads just go limp for lack of a better word.  It's like they're "empty" or something, like that part of my body is just completely missing, as though there's nothing there to flex.  I actually can do almost the same weight going Olympic ATG on squats.  I get that momentum of starting from the floor, so that when I get close to parallel and all the power evaporates, I've still got enough speed to carry me through to the top of the rep. The weird thing is, If you told me, "Matt go find your 1RM, I could do singles til the cows come home.   I can get out of the hole with a heavy weight once, but anything more than that is asking too much. I also accept that my numbers may be effected by the fact that for the last month I've broken my 3 rep record on deadlifting.  But still this problem predates that by a good ways.  Other stuff went well here, hang snatches got 2 at 155! I did more lighter sets first today to get there.  Good stuff!

December 15, 2011 Lower / Light

• BB Squats: 290*5 300*4 310*2
• Hang Snatches: 135*3 145*3 155*X
• Front Squats: 225*3

OOOF. Weights felt like they were made of lead today.   I think I'm fatigued a bit from my Monday deadlifting/clean session.  Plus I didn't sleep well last night. Stayed up a bit too late drinking.  Need to get back on a regular sleep schedule.  I've been staying up too late lately.  That ends now. 

December 8, 2011 Lower / Light

• BB Squats: 280*5 290*5 300*5
• Hang Snatches: 135*3 140*3 145*3 150*3
• Front Squats: 225*5 225*3

Good session, weights moved up.  I was actually gassed by the time I got to front squats.  Probably going to go 205, 215, 225 in some order next time, just so I can get the full 3 sets in and not be sucking wind the way I was today.  Next week I'll start squats at 290 probably, and the snatches at 140.  

December 1, 2011 Lower / Light

• Squats: 275*5 285*5 295*5
• Hanging Snatches: 135*3 145*3 135*3 135*3
• Front Squats: 225*4 205*5 205*3 
• Snatch Grip Deadlifts: 225*5 225*5 225*5

Good stuff.....may put a 2nd session of hang cleans instead of snatches for now while I work up on the weight.  Not sure.  Front squats were harder this week, with 2 exercises behind them, instead of leading off with them.  Snatch-Grip deadlifts are pretty difficult but worked out as well.  I actually slept good last night after getting fired. I actually feel better after being done with the jackasses where I worked.  Relieved.  

November 24, 2011 Lower / Light

• BB Front Squats: 225*5 225*5 225*5
• Hang Snatches: 135*3 145*3 155*1 115*3 115*3
• Ab Wheel: 11, 11

Switched it up a little, did front squats, gave my lower back a rest.   Hanging snatches...yeah I thought I'd be getting a much larger boost to weights since I wasn't doing them off the floor. I figured shortening the movement would help.  Not so much. It was actually harder without the force of that first pull off the floor.  Finished with the ab-wheel, the only infomercial fitness product in history that actually is legitimate. 

November 10, 2011

• BB Snatches: 135*3 115*3 95*3:3
• Squats: 275*5 295*2 wtf?  255*5 245*5 
• Front Squats: 185*5 205*5 185*5
• PUPP: 50 seconds

So I know I said I would be doing squats first here, but wanted to see if the snatches effected my squat any.  Yeah...they did.  Moving along, next week I think I'm going to do both compound lifts first, then follow it with the Olympic movement.  Sore as hell here, cramping up, feet cramping, calf cramp still hurts from the other day, feel rusty. NOT enjoying this week back at all. 

October 25, 2011 Glycogen Depletion Day 2

• Squats / Front Squats S.S.: 135*12/135*12 135*12/135*12 115*12/115*12 115*12/115*12 115*12/115*12
• DB Incline / DB Rows S.S.: 55*15/55*15  55*13/55*15 55*12/55*13 55*12/55*12 55*12/55*12
• AB Wheel: 13, 13, 13

Oof.  Figured this would be easy since the squat weight was so light. Yeah not so much.  I'm not sure how much glycogen I have left after this stored in my muscles but it can't be much.  Diet is still my 'conditioning day' day with less than 50 carbs per.  Still drinking a shit ton of water. 

October 18, 2011 Lower

• BB Squats: 315*2 335*1 345*1 315*2
• Front Squats: 225*3 245*2 265*1
• Power Cleans; 95*5 115*5 135*5 145*2

keeping my core tight while squatting definitely makes a huge difference.  Going to keep plugging away at it.  Front squats went well.  Adding in power cleans here too instead of snatches.  I'll put snatches on another day, maybe after deadlifting, which sounds like a brutal day, but if I just do those 2 exercises I should be able to manage.  Good session here

October 4, 2011 Lower

• Snatches: 95*1,1,1,1,1 135*1,1,1 155*1,X,X,1 165*x 135*1,1,1,1,1 135*1,1,1 95*1,1,1,1
• Front Squats: 225*2 245*1 255*1
• Overhead Squats: 135*2 135*5
• P.U.P.P.: 1:15

Since I'm not doing back squats I decided to try getting form down on snatches.  My #1 biggest thing I need to work on right now is my speed off the ground.  I'm so slow it looks like I'm deadlifting even with 135.  Every few reps I pull it off the ground fast and snap it up and over in one movement, but 80% of these reps were slow and looked like 3 separate movements done rapidly together instead of one fluid thing.   One of the trainers was talking about overhead squats and I realized I hadn't done them in a while so I tossed them in there as well.

September 27, 2011

• Front Squats: 245*1 265*1 280*1 305*X
• Squats From Pins: 225*3 275*1 295*X
• Snatches: 135*3 145*3 155*1 155*1

Went for a front squat record again....nothin doin haha.  Tried some pin squatting afterward, and then snatches which is what I really wanted to focus on here, probably should've done them first.  I finally am getting the hang of squatting down low enough as I snap the weight over my head.  It's shocking how much easier it is to complete the movement when done that way.   

September 20, 2011

• Front Squats: 225*2 245*2 265*2 275*1
• BB Squats: 300*2 315*1
• Snatches: 95*3 135*3 135*3 145*X 145*X 145*1
• Pistol Squats: 3, 3

Tried what I did last week, with front squats first, didn't get the same pop on regular squats afterward, I'll try it one more time.  Either way it's fun to put a different exercise first here.  Still working on snatches, missed 145 a bunch and just kept trying until I hit it.  Also put in pistol squats, definitely going to keep up with them, I feel like it forces my hips to loosen up some. 

September 13, 2011 Lower

• BB Front Squats: 225*2 245*2 265*1 280*1 Tied PR 295*1 NEW PR!! 300*1 NEW PR!!
• BB Squats: 275*1 300*1 315*1 330*1 345*1
• Snatches: 95*3 95*3 115*3 135*2 135*3 135*1
• Pullups: 12, 5

WOW.  Even as I'm finishing up this cut I'm still breaking personal records. VERY happy with how this has gone.  I think the core strength increase over the last two months is the biggest factor here with the front squats, it lets me stay upright easier.  Interestingly, I found the regular squatting afterward to be MUCH easier.  I think because I have a tendency to let my quads do a lot of the lifting in my back squat.  But by hammering them with those front squats first it forced my hamstrings & ass to take over and since they're stronger than the quads the movement was easier.  

I'm also trying out snatches again, I'm trying to work some more power movements in.  Worked out pretty well, I'm focusing on keeping my form good, but I need to refine my foot planting a bit better, I keep ending up with my feet VERY wide at the end. Not sure why. Anyone have some input?  

September 6, 2011 Lower

• Squats:300*4 310*2 330*1...really?
• BB Pin Squats: 225*3 275*1 300*X GOD. F*CKING. DAMNIT.
• BB Front Squats: 225*1 240*1 260*1
• Double Mini-Banded Hypers: 15, 15
• Pullups: BW*12 BW*8

OK, THERE is the effect from the deadlifting on Friday.  Absolute terrible session.  Had no pop, nothing.  Front squats were good.  Decided to do some pullups, at least that went well.  Squats & Pin Squats though had me cursing a blue streak.