January 29, 2013 Lower Body

• Deadlifts: 340*10 375*10
• BB Hanging Power Snatch: 155*1 145*2 145*1
• BB Hanging Power Cleans: 135*32 (not a typo)

40 minutes

So I decided 3 sets of 10  on the deadlifting was a lot like the 4 sets of 10 on squatting; it just wears me down more than anything.  I want to go 385-395-405 over the next three weeks, and if I'm worn down that's not going to happen.  When I started this higher rep stuff I was not sure how long I would continue for, I think I'm going to do a few more weeks, I'm at the one month mark now. My goal is 250 for 10 on bench press, 405 for 10 on deadlifting, and 300 for 10 on squatting.  Snatches the 155 was really shaky.  Should have warmed up more and done 145 first for 1, then 155.  I went straight from 135 to 155.  

Ok so for the hanging power cleans, the gym is having a competition on various lifts, the idea came from one of the trainers. It's mostly cardiovascular stuff; nothing like 'highest deadlift' or anything, it's more 'how many reps with 75% of your bw (max weight 135 lbs)' type of deal.  In this case it was total number of reps in three minutes with 135 lbs.  You could put the bar down as needed.  Some other guy got 50 with 135...then I found out he used wrist wraps.  My face when they told me: 

Anyway I got 32 reps.  My last rep the weight actually fell out of my hands, not even on purpose, my grip was just exhausted, even with putting the weight down twice during the three minutes..  Afterward my forearms were so swollen I think it bruised the skin underneath, check this out, both forearms had bruising on them all over, like this.  

January 1, 2013 Lower Body

• Deadlift: 300*10 315*10 335*10
• Hanging Power-Snatch: 140*1 150*1-dirty lockout 135*4
• Hanging Power Cleans: 175*1 185*1 195*1
• Good Mornings: 135*5 185*3

45 minutes

First session of 2013 went well. Getting used to the 10 rep stuff I think.  That was quick.  300 was definitely too light.  315 was pretty easy too. I think I'll go 320-340-350 on deadlifts next week.  Given that I did 30 reps of deadlifting before the o-lifts I'm happy with how the snatches & cleans went.  The lockout on the 150 of the snatches was 'dirty'.  The weight was overhead, but I had to press the weight up a bit to lockout my elbows.  Going to up weight on snatches by 5 lbs next week.  175 went up way easier than I was anticipating, weight slammed into my throat on the catch.   Was pretty tired by the time I got to the good mornings. I think I'm going to drop it back to 95 & 115 for next week so I can put in some reps, I was exhausted doing them and I don't want to sacrifice form for weight on these.  

December 26, 2012 Conditioning & Olympic Lifts

• Hanging Power Snatch: 135*2 145*1 150*1
• Hanging Power Cleans: 155*1 175*1 185*1 195*1
• High Pull: 205*1
• tiny-small-medium box over jumps - broad jump superset: 10
• P.U.P.P.: 10

39 minutes

Amazing what not deadlifting 450 lbs. before olympic lifting does for the lifts. I felt great on these, my  form was great, and the weights moved so rapidly.   That last high pull was supposed to be a clean but I couldn't flip it over so it ended up being a high pull.  Added 5 lbs. to the snatch & cleans.   It was about 28 degrees out today, and I need leggings or something before I can run in those conditions, going to go tomorrow most likely and grab some.  Did a series of jumps over boxes into a broad jump, as a supserset.  Love doing that stuff.   Finished with some planks.  

November 20, 2012 Lower Body

• Deadlift: 315*3 365*3 405*3
• Hanging Power Snatches: 135*3 140*3 135*3
• Hanging Power Cleans: 155*3 175*3 165*3
• Glute Bridges: 135*9..PIRIFORMIS! 
• P.U.P.P.: 1:00, 0:30

45 minutes

YES!!! It worked.  Putting snatches & cleans on this day definitely fits.  Hits the whole posterior chain as primary movers, and all my work for the week that will hit my grip, forearms, and traps, all in one session. This is exactly what I was hoping for. It's going to take a couple weeks to get used to, my grip on the snatches wasn't great, hence the final set being at 135. Plus I'm not used to deadlifting before snatches.   Deadlifted over 400 again, felt great.     The piriformis thing is about 80% healed at this point.  I don't get tingling in my foot very often, and the pain in my calf is only about once per day, and is much fainter.  However, I still find it excruciating to try and do things like glute bridges or leg pressing. Maybe if I did some pigeon stretches beforehand? Who knows. Going to give it some more time to heal, it's doing well on its own.   Good session.    I was absolutely exhausted after this one. I usually stay up until 11:30 or so at night; I could've gone to bed at 7 after this session. 

October 5, 2012 Lower Body

• Squats: 300*2 315*2 325*1 335*1
• Hanging Power Snatches: 135*3 145*3 150*1
• Ab-Wheel: 10, 10
• High Box Jumps: 30 - as quickly as possible. 

Well that went well.  Not sure what was different here. That's what's so frustrating about squatting. Last week I barely got 315 for one, I'm not even sure I hit parallel.  This time I got 335.  I was really focusing on keeping my posterior chain tight & flexed throughout the movement, maybe that made a difference?  Plus I just decided I was going to see what I could get for a 1RM without really training for it.  Maybe I'll just do that every week.  Worked well for my deadlift...

Anyway rest of the session went well. REALLY enjoying snatches now that the trainer at my gym pointed out I was coming out too far in front when throwing the weight up.  That nice tight to the body snap and flip over the head feels perfect. I actually like the snatches more than hanging power cleans at this point.  I feel like my form on the cleans still isn't perfect.  Also, I'm recording this a few days after the fact, and the ab-wheel stuff really left my abs/core very sore.   Finished with some box jumps done as quickly as possible.  I like to keep my conditioning work grouped with the body parts I already worked; so things like box jumps with squats/deadlifts, rope slams after benching, etc.  I feel like that keeps the parts you'll hit next workout fresh. 

September 28, 2012 Lower Body

• Squats: 275*3 300*2 315*1 250*3
• Hanging Power Snatches: 95*3 115*3 135*3 140*3 125*7
• P.U.P.P.: 1:30, 1:30

Really getting frustrated with squatting.  I can barely make depth, and it's like I get no 'push' when at parallel.  I don't get it.  Plus I get folded over by anything about 225, which is odd because my back must be strong if I can pull 500+.  No idea what's going on.  I think I forget to keep my hamstrings/posterior chain tight when going down to parallel, and then try and engage it at the bottom, which doesn't work.  Back to the drawing board.  

In good news, a trainer noticed that on my snatches I was basically throwing the weight up in front of me, so that my arms were fully extended out in front of me like some sort of front raise, which just happened to go up over my head.  I tried a few sample reps and he was right.  So I did the rest of the sets focusing on keeping the weight tight up near my body and snapping it over my head.  MUCH easier, and feels like it must've been the missing link in my snatch.  Probably cleans too.  Cannot wait  to try this next week as well.   Push up planks went well, got 3:00 total. 

Also, been absolutely ravenous lately, not really getting chubby/soft/etc. either, so my body's using it for fuel apparently. 

September 14, 2012 Lower Body

• Squats: 275*3 300*3 315*2
• Hanging Power Snatches: 95*3 135*3 150*X-hips tired 135*3
• Unilateral Hip Extensions: 95*5 115*5 hips, hams, glutes, all fried

Back to squatting!  Going to do more sets this coming week, just wanted to get back in the groove here.  Felt good, months of box squatting seems to have helped get the pattern down.   Hips were tired on the snatches.  Tried unilateral hip extensions, everything was tired.  My left leg hurt when it was out straight; I think I may have some mild sciatica left over from the deadlifting injury last month.  If that's the case I can find some exercises/rehab stuff to do and hopefully get rid of the intermittent tingling in my left foot and pain in the left calf that also comes and goes. 

August 23, 2012 Lower / Upper

• Low Box Squat / Pullup Superset: 255*5-80*3 265*5-80*3  275*3-80*3 sore from sprints
• Incline Bench Press: 250*3 240*3 230*3
• Hanging Power Snatch: 95*3 135*3 145*2

Wow...not putting squatting the day after sprints ever again.  Hamstrings,etc. were completely exhausted.  I liked super-setting though with the pullups.  Did some Incline Bench after, haven't done it in a few weeks, numbers should be back up next week.  Also getting back into the olympic lifts as well. Took it easy here, didn't want to torque back / piriformis.  Everything went fine though, didn't feel a thing.  

July 13, 2012 Lower Body

• Low Box Squats: 245*5 265*5 290*4 310*3
• Hanging Power Snatch: 150*3 160*2 140*5
• DB Goblet Walk: 110*1:15
• KB Inverted Waiter Walk: 8kg*0:30
• Wide-Stance Anti-Rotational Chops: 50*10

That went well.  Upped weights on all sets of low box squatting and still managed to get extra reps on the final one.  I stretched my calves thoroughly before this, I feel like it was easier to keep good form and not be pulled forward off my heels since they were looser. Power snatches went well.  Punished myself for only getting 160 for a double by doing 5 at 140.  Haven't done goblet walk in a couple weeks so I tried again, and set a new time record for myself.  Usually I don't get the positive effect of taking time off from an exercise and coming back stronger as everyone else seems to, but maybe that happened here.  Tried some waiter walks holding a kb upside down by its handle.  Not sure if it did anything.

July 6, 2012 Lower Body

• Low Box Squats: 235*5 255*5 280*5 305*1
• Hanging Power Snatch: 145*3 155*3 165*X

Really enjoy low box squats; the box I'm using gets me to about 1.5-2" above olympic depth.  Having that pause on the bottom too has really helped me get out of the parallel or sub-parallel position on them, should help with regular squats when I go back to them in a couple weeks.  Hanging power snatches went well, up to the 165.  I got 155 EASILY.  I should've gotten 165. Tried 3 times never got close.  Lost one actually crashed down onto my neck, pushed me over and forced me to do a good morning out.  Neck hurts.  Not good times.  No idea why 165 is proving so hard for me; I think it's psychological, it just feels so much heavier than 155, and my grip starts to feel less secure by the time I get to those higher weights as well. 

June 29, 2012 Lower

• Low Box Squats: 225*5 250*5 275*4 300*2 315*hit safety bars.
• Hanging Power Snatch: 140*3 150*3 160*3

Decided to lower the box since I've been doing medium box squats.  Went well.  I'm about 3" below parallel on the low box.  Would've had 315, but I had moved the bars up one spot on the rack before doing that set, set them too high.  Such is life.  Snatches went well.   

May 18, 2012 Lower Body

• Squats: 320*2 330*2 340*1+X
• BB Hanging Power Snatch: 115*3 125*3 145*3 155*3 135*6
• 1 Leg Deadlifts: 135*6 155*6 175*6
• Wide-Stance Anti-Rotational Chops: 50*10

Odd workout; the squats just felt off, I didn't want to press anything.  Hard to describe what went wrong, I just felt out of sorts doing them for some reason.  Snatches went well.  One Legged deadlifts are going great, I can already feel the stabilizing muscles strengthening as I do them. I'm getting better at balancing while doing them, and my knees look more stable while going through the movement as well.  ALSO of note, I had mentioned in the past having an intense pain in my IT band while squatting that gradually goes away, well I also get it while sitting in my chair at work or at home as well.  The thing is since I added in the one-legged deadlifts I don't notice it anymore while sitting, and when doing squat variations it is still there, but not nearly as intense. 

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.