February 15, 2012 Conditioning

• Battling Rope / Rope Slam S.S.: 60/10 60/10  60/10 60/10
• Rope Pullups: 4, 3, 3
• KB Plank Rope Drags: 28kg*2

impromptu Wednesday conditioning session.  Did some rope pullups as well but my grip was not having it.  Not sure why it took me so long to figure out supersetting battling ropes & rope slams would be a good idea. 

September 22, 2011 Upper

• Incline Bench / Neutral-Grip Pullup S.S.: 225*8/65*3 225*6/65*3 225*7/65*3
• Standing Press: 135*4 155*2
• Rope Pullups: 7, 7
• KB Plank Drags: 28kg*1

Good times!  Was exhausted by the time it was time to do some standing pressing.  Rope pullups went well, really helping my grip. I'll also note that the lacrosse ball is working well for myofascial release.

August 23, 2011 Lower Body

• BB Squats: 275*3 300*3 315*3 330*2
• BB Front Squats: 225*2 235*1 255*1
• Low Box Squats: 255*3 275*2 300*1
• Ab Wheel: 10, 8
• 28kg KB Plank Drag: 1

Elitefts  had a great article today about setting up for the squat and I realized I'm not breathing correctly during them.  Tried it today properly and felt much stronger.  We'll see how it goes.  Front squats went good.  Also got back to box squatting!  Usually do them off the medium box which puts me 1" above parallel, did them on the low box today which puts me about 3" below parallel.  Holy cow the contraction my hamstrings had to pull to get me off that box was ridiculous.   Also after this was over I noticed in the locker room that I have two more abs above what I thought were my top two. I've seen them before back when I was like 165 lbs, but I haven't seen them in years.

August 2, 2011 Lower Body

• BB Squats: 275*3 305*3 315*1 325*X..wtf?
• BB Front Squats: 205*3 225*3 245*2
• Double Mini-Banded Hip Thrusters: 12, 13, 12
• Pullup Iso-Hold: 6 seconds, 14 seconds
• KB Plank Drag: 28kg*1
• Ab Wheel: 8,9

Felt like a really good session.  Plus I GOT A NEW JOB!!! I can't wait, it's such a relief.  But I digress, getting back to low rep squats here, I did them in the cage instead of the squat rack. I do NOT like doing them in the cage, I can never tell if I'm low enough so I stop too high, then start dropping again, but I've killed all my  momentum by then, as on the 325 attempt here. Back to the squat rack next week.  Front squats went great, added reps on last 2 sets.   Added in hip thrusters with the bands here, I think I need stronger bands though.  I'll post a video of me doing them.  The pullup iso-holds are no joke....I'll post a vid of them at the end here, that isn't me doing them, it's from a great T-Nation article on pullups that I read yesterday. I highly recommend it.  On my  first attempt of the iso-holds my middle back cramped & charlie horsed. Not like one of the muscles..all of them.   Got back to doing plank drags, finished with some ab wheel. Also, either the front squats or iso holds gave me some weird bruising on my biceps. Posted a pic at the end here.