Hanging out on the Westside

Rodja

Rodja

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The past couple months have been a major letdown. Some jackass ran a red light and took out the front end of my car about a month ago and then I hurt my knee doing a simple sprawl drill at practice. Needless to say, I haven't been able to train consistently since early-December. My knee is still a bit cranky, but it's not enough to slow me down. I played around with Westside aka conjugate periodization in the summer and have used DeFranco's version off and on over the past 2 years or so and I'll be sticking more with the 1-3 rep range on upper, but will do a true ME on lower. A new gym opened up by my house (it's actually a Metroflex affiliate) where I will be training others and they have some toys that I haven't used very much: a reverse hyper and a GHR machine.

Current Split:
Mon-ME Upper
Tue-DE Lower
Wed-Off
Thu-DE Upper
Fri-ME Lower

2-3 Prowler sessions will be thrown into each week to keep the GPP high and to use as a marketing tool for me personally.

1/16-ME Upper
1-Board Press
135x5
185x5
225x3
245x3

Kroc Rows
120x17
120x16
120x21 (PR)

Incline DB Press
70x15
75x12
70x12
80x10

Pressdowns/TYs/Band Pullaparts (mini)
90x12/20x8,30x8/15
90x12/20x8,30x8/15
90x12/20x8,30x8/15
90x12/20x8,30x8/15

Getting used to the new benches as the pad is really shallow compared to the bar placement and it was a bitch to get the bar out and stay tight, but I made due with it. Everything else went well and I surprised myself by getting that many reps on my last set of Kroc rows.
 
FL3X MAGNUM

FL3X MAGNUM

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Sorry to hear about your spree of bad luck.
Hopefully this new gym can be your light in a dark place.
 
Rodja

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1/17-DE Lower

Box Squats (monster mini)
225x2x10

GHR
BWx12
(added mini around my neck)
BWx12
BWx12
BWx12

Reverse Hyper
70x10
70x10
70x10
70x10

I had to improv a bit on the band placement as the racks do not have peg, so I used a short band and placed the pins about mid-shin height to use the catcher as a makeshift peg. Breeze through these with great speed and zero knee pain. I did much better on GHR than I expected, but not nearly as well on the RH. I was crunched for time, but I'll be able to get in my ab work at work and some extra posterior chain work.
 
Torobestia

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Lets get strong, Rodja!

BTW, dumb question but on your DE Lower day, 225x2x10 was reps x sets, right?
 
Rodja

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1/19 DE Upper

Bench (60# chain at the top)
135x1x9 (3 grips)

BB Rows
225x12
245x12
255x12
275x10 (most I've done in awhile)

Seated DB Shoulder Press
60x12
65x10
70x8
70x8

Tate Press/BB Shrugs
40x15/315x15
40x15/335x15
40x15/335x15
40x15/365x10

TY (on incline bench)
20x8
20x8

DC Stretches

First time I've used chains for any session and it has a very different feel from bands. One thing that I have been doing lately that has really helped me to hold my arch and tuck is setting up a different way. I haven't put it to the real ME test yet, but the it already feels smoother and more explosive. Upper back is very sore today and I need to get back to doing more direct upper-trap work as I've neglected it for quite sometime now.
 
Rodja

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1/20 ME Lower

Suspended GM
135x5
185x5
225x3
235x1
245x1
255x1
275x1
285x1

Snatch-Grip Deads (monster minis)
225x3
225x3
225x3
225x3

GHR/Standing Cable Crunche
BWx12/90x15
added mini to GHR
BWx12/100x15
BWx12/110x12
BWx12/110x12

I wanted to squat today, but my right hamstring wan't happy with the eccentric movement, so I decided to try out the suspended GMs, which I've never really done. I didn't have the catching straps to attach to the power rack, so I just used the arms. I did more than I was hoping (my goal was 245x1) and I far exceeded that. My new focus is my entire posterior chain and the snatch-grip deads are freaking brutal on the upper back.
 

SweetLou321

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Do you happen to have the westside book rodja?
 
Rodja

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I just got it the other day. I'm only about 1/10 through it, though.
 

SweetLou321

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Yea I havent read the whole thing either and neither has my gym partner. But at least we now know how to use chains, bands, and ect like they do at westside. Good program.
 
mattrag

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subbed for the PRs and for your comeback! Let's get strong[er]
 
Rodja

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Yea I havent read the whole thing either and neither has my gym partner. But at least we now know how to use chains, bands, and ect like they do at westside. Good program.
I also picked up 5/3/1 2nd edition that I read when it's slow at work. Overall, there's not too much difference to the main program, but I like how all of the various templates/designs that he has added (e.g. a "DC" 5/3/1, full-body templates).
 
Rodja

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1/23 ME Upper

Floor Press
135x5
135x5
185x3
225x1
235x1
245x1
255x1
265x1
275x1 (PR)

Flat DB Press
70x15
80x12
80x12
85x10
90x7

HS Wide Pronated Rows
145x12
170x10
170x10
170x10+4

Tate Press/TY/Band Pulls (mini)
40x12/20x8/15
40x12/20x8/15
45x10/20x8/15
45x10/20x8/15

DC Stretches

Big freakin' PR on the Floor Press. My wrists were not happy with the 275 in my hands, but I wanted to nail the damn rep. Everything else went smoothly and so far, so good.
 

SweetLou321

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I also picked up 5/3/1 2nd edition that I read when it's slow at work. Overall, there's not too much difference to the main program, but I like how all of the various templates/designs that he has added (e.g. a "DC" 5/3/1, full-body templates).
The powerlifting one? Yea its a good read with a lot of options.

And btw I hate you for hitting a 275 floor press PR! I just hit a 265lb PR that same day. LOL Good job man.
 
Rodja

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The powerlifting one? Yea its a good read with a lot of options.

And btw I hate you for hitting a 275 floor press PR! I just hit a 265lb PR that same day. LOL Good job man.
Not the PL one, but the actual 2nd edition of 5/3/1. Wendler came out with a 2nd edition a couple of months back because he was getting ripped off by people selling ebooks on Amazon.
 
Rodja

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1/24 DE Lower

Box Squat (60# chains)
205x1x6

SLDL
225x8x4

GHR
BWx12x4

Standing Cable Crunches
90x15
100x12
110x12
115x10
120x8

Not one of my better sessions, but I made it through. The bar felt so damn heavy on my back even though it was only 265 at the top, but I'd rather have a lackluster DE session than a ME.
 
Torobestia

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Nice floor press, Rodja.
 
Rodja

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1/26: DE Upper

Bench
155x1x6

DB Rows
120x15
120x15
120x15
120x15

DB Shoulder Press
60x12
65x10
70x8
70x9

Tate Press/Side Laterals/Supinated Pullaparts
40x12/30x10/15
40x12/30x10/15
40x12/30x10/15
40x12/30x10/15

DC Stretches

Good session. Bicep tendon was a little bitchy, so I cut out the close-grip portion of the DE work and chest assistance work. I've lost way too much strength in my shoulder presses and I am going to make a point to get back my strength in this area. Other than that, everything is moving along well and the new gym setting has really helped me to stay motivated.
 
Rodja

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1/28 ME Lower

Sumo
135x5
135x5
225x5
315x3
365x1
405x1
425x1
455 FAIL

GHR
BWx15x4

Uni Leg Press (no idea what the weight of the sled is)
180x10
270x10
295x10
360x8

Standing Cable Crunches/Hanging Leg Raises
110x15/10
120x12/10
120x12/10
125x10/10

DC Stretches

Hip flexor was really tight and cranky. This was the first time I have pulled in months with a sumo stance and my technique was meh. 425 came out kinda quickly, but 455 wouldn't budge. Everything else went well, though.
 
Rodja

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1/30 ME Upper

Bench
135x5
135x5
185x3
205x1
225x1
245x1
255x1
275x1

DB Press
75x12
80x10
90x9
90x8

Lat Pulldowns/Pressdowns
200x10/100x12
210x10/110x12
230x10/110x12
250x10/110x12

TY/Pullaparts
20x8/15
20x8/15
20x8/15
20x8/15

DC Stretches

First time I've done full-range bench this year. Went much better than I expected and was left exhausted after this. My lats have gotten tight over the past month or so and I need to fix that.
 
Rodja

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Brining this back (well, kinda).

Template design is here

I'll be updating later.
 
Rodja

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I started Wave C on my template yesterday.

1RM numbers:
Squat: 425
Bench: 285
Deadlift: 455
Overhead Press: 185

3/26
Squat

Barx5
Barx5
135x5
135x5
225x3
275x3*
315x1
335x1
385x3 (hit my minimum, but still a disappointment)

*Really pissed off my SI on this set and it radiated into my groin.

Low Box Squats (2" below parallel)
225x5
225x5
245x4

These really, really hurt

Reverse Hypers
50x15
100x15
110x15
150x12
150x12

Standing Cable Crunches (used a doubled mini band)
15
15
15
15

The SI joint pain and subsequent referred pain really derailed the session. Hit the number that I had to hit, but it was still a bit of a bummer.
 
Torobestia

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I checked out the template you posted. Seems very interesting. But of course I'll be keeping an eye on this log, anyways ... gotta stick with my powerlifting bros (even though I'm not currently on a PL program).
 
Rodja

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3/27

OHP

Barx10
Barx10
95x5
115x5
135x3
165x3

Weighted Neutral Grip Pullups
BW+25x5x4

DE Floor Press (40# chain at the top)
155x2x10

Used 4 different grips on this

Seated DB Shoulder Press
60x12, 60x10x2

Rolling Tricep Ex/DB Power Cleans
30x10x3/20x10x3

I had to make some adjustments on this day. I wasn't able to grind out on the OHP, which I like to do since it's a weak area for me, because of the SI discomfort from yesterday. I also used floor press instead of bench since I wouldn't be able to arch and hold the position. Everything else went well; no discomfort in bicep tendon, lats weren't tight, and SI felt better.
 

SweetLou321

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Looks good in here, good to see you starting back up
 
farmtireguy

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Subbed ;-)
 
Rodja

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3/29 Deads

Deadlifts (traditional)

135x5
135x5
225x5
225x5
315x3
365x5
405x1
425x4 (PR)

225x5 (snatch-grip)
225x5
245x5

Reverse Hypers/Standing Cable Crunches
70x15/110x15
80x15/110x15
90x15/110x15

Scheme is really getting messed up this week from the squat session on Monday. SI is pretty good, but eccentric contractions with a flexed knee are out of the question. I tried to throw in some DE box squats and I had discomfort with just the bar, so I decided against them. However, I did set a deadlift PR and the reverse hypers helped to decompress the spine from both forms of deads.
 
Rodja

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3/30 Bench

Bench
Barx8
Barx8
135x8
135x8
185x5
205x3
225x1
255x5 (PR)

Supp Lift
Floor Press
225x5x3

Pullups/Facepulls
BWx8/80x12
BWx8/80x12
BWx8/80x12

Tate Press/DB Shrugs
40x12/90x12
40x12/90x12
40x12/90x12-drop-60x12

First really good session of the week. Bench has steadily improved since I adjusted my grip (switched from index finger to ring finger on the ring) and tried a new approach to setting up my arch. The thing that is holding me back the most is finding someone who can give me a good handoff. Floor presses were smooth, but I could have been more explosive with them. Everything else went well and felt great.

Injuries/current annoyances:
SI is getting better
Left medial hamstring is in a lot of pain
Anterior biceps tendinitis has been manageable
 

SweetLou321

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That was a wide comp grip! I use pinky on the ring for my grip and also like a thumb away from the smooth too.
 
Rodja

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That was a wide comp grip! I use pinky on the ring for my grip and also like a thumb away from the smooth too.
I have long ass arms (75" reach on a 70" frame) and I was trying to somewhat compensate for it, but I wasn't able to really spread the bar and get my lats into it.
 
Rodja

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4/1 Squat (well, not really)

In what may be a blessing in disguise, I cannot squat right now. My left medial inner thigh on the posterior side (it's one of the small muscles and it's a shot in the dark by just palpating the area) can't even support my own weight much less anything additional on my back. Concentric is relatively pain free, but eccentric feels like it's going to tear, especially when the thigh is laterally rotated. However, to not appear to puss out, I still got in some work.

Reverse Hypers
100x15
100x15
100x15
150x12
150x12

Seated Good Mornings
Barx10
95x10
115x10
115x10
135x10

Ab Wheel
BWx8x5

Standing Band Crunches (doubled mini band)
15
15
15
15

I will say that I am a little upset about the recent turn of events. I freaking HATE these little nagging strains on small muscles because they take so damn long to heal. I can still pull (thankfully), so I can use that as both my main ME and for my DE, which may actually help in the long run. It's not quite back to the drawing board, but it could end up that way.
 

SweetLou321

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Heal up good man, sucks to see you injured.
 
Rodja

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4/3 OHP

OHP
Barx10
Barx10
95x8
115x5
135x5
155x6 (PR)
135x10

Weighted Wide Pullups/Dips
BW+25x3/BW+25x15
BW+25x3/BW+25x13
BW+23x3/BW+25x15

Plyo Pushups
6"x3x10

DB Rows
120x12
130x12
145x10

Rolling Tri Ex/Side Laterals
30x12/30x12
30x12/30x12
35x10/30x12

A fine session today. Still having to adjust to my lower body issues, which was the reason for the plyo pushups instead of bench, but I refuse to let it slow me down too much. Right now, I'm focusing on PRs on the big lifts while easing off of the intensity of the assistance lifts and waving the intensity of the supplemental lift. Trained at a different gym today and it was a nice atmosphere with some big DBs. I haven't used anything above 120 in almost a year (I was regularly using 150 for 12-15 this time last year) and it sucks that my strength has lessened on them. However, it still felt great to row a big ass 145lb DB for the first time in ages.
 
Torobestia

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Trained at a different gym today and it was a nice atmosphere with some big DBs. I haven't used anything above 120 in almost a year (I was regularly using 150 for 12-15 this time last year) and it sucks that my strength has lessened on them. However, it still felt great to row a big ass 145lb DB for the first time in ages.
Haha, I bet it did. I don't know what kind of plates you have at your normal gym (I assume you have a normal gym?), but what you can do is get an orange monster mini band from EFS and attach several 5lbs on each side of the biggest db and secure with 2 or more bands. I know this is easy to do with octagonal plates which mine has, it might be trickier with circular weights.
 
Rodja

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Haha, I bet it did. I don't know what kind of plates you have at your normal gym (I assume you have a normal gym?), but what you can do is get an orange monster mini band from EFS and attach several 5lbs on each side of the biggest db and secure with 2 or more bands. I know this is easy to do with octagonal plates which mine has, it might be trickier with circular weights.
My normal has steel, circular weights, but I can give it a try. Just to clarify, do you mean a monster mini or a light band? Light bands are orange and monster minis are black.
 
Torobestia

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My normal has steel, circular weights, but I can give it a try. Just to clarify, do you mean a monster mini or a light band? Light bands are orange and monster minis are black.
My bad, I mean the light bands. Good catch. Yeah, I'd try and tie up the weights with the bands perpendicular to each other (so you'd see a plus sign if looking at the dumbbell's face), or somewhere thereabouts.
 
Rodja

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My bad, I mean the light bands. Good catch. Yeah, I'd try and tie up the weights with the bands perpendicular to each other (so you'd see a plus sign if looking at the dumbbell's face), or somewhere thereabouts.
I'll have to tinker with that today and see if it'll hold well.
 
Rodja

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4/5 Deads

Deads
135x5
135x5
225x5
225x5
315x3
365x1
405x6

Rack Pulls
425x2
445x0
425x2

Reverse Hypers
120x15
140x12
160x12
160x12

Standing Crunches (doubled mini band)
20
20
20
20


Good session, but a little frustrating. On my ME set of deads, the weight kept rolling back and forth and I spent more time trying to align the bar than actually pulling. I could have gotten to at least 7, if not 8, but fatigue set in and I pulled the plug. I hadn't done rack pulls in years and I had no idea where to put my shins in relation to the bar and my setup was awful. However, I'm not beating myself up over it since I the last time I did them was probably 2007.
 
Rodja

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4/6 Bench

ME Lift
Bench
Barx8
Barx8
135x8
135x8
185x5
205x3
225x1
245x4

Supp Lift
DB Press
75x5
85x5
95x5
100x3
110x2

DB Rows
145x10
145x10
145x18 (PR)

Pressdowns/Hammer Curls
90x15/50x8
100x12/55x7
110x10/55x7

DB Shrugs/Supinated Pullaparts (mini)
90x15/15
100x10/15
100x10/15

Good, but not great, session. I didn't hit 5 reps on bench, which blows, but it was a technical issue. There was literally no other person in the gym except for the front desk person and she's maybe 120lbs so I didn't have a liftoff. Also, it's a different bar and I'm still trying to figure out where to put my hands.

O/T rant: they really need to standardize bars and keep the knurling and the rings in the same damn spot.

Other than that, the rest of the session went really well. Going that heavy on DB rows again gives me something to really look forward to when it comes to assistance work and it'll help me to stabilize on bench.

On next week's training, it'll be working up to a 1RM on bench and deadlifts. I may also do a 1RM on OHP, but that is still something I'm debating on doing. To keep more of a conjugate-style system, I'm tinkering with the waving of the percentages on the lifts to have 2 sessions at a 5RM and the other 2 sessions at 1RM. I would love to squat next week, but I'm still experiencing discomfort in my left adductor region.
 

SweetLou321

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I agree, bars should be standardized. Thank god my gym has a comp squat, bench, and deadlift bar.
 
farmtireguy

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I agree too. The one gym I go to has a 35 lb. bar. Lucky thing is that it's chromed so pretty easy to spot.
 
Rodja

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4/9 Squat accessory

Reverse Hypers
70x15
120x15
170x12
190x10 PR
190x10 PR

GHR
BWx12
BWx12
BWx12
BWx12

Standing crunches (doubled mini+short monster mini)
12
12
12
12

Prowler Drags (90# added)
30Mx10

Still unable to really squat, so did an accessory day to focus on the posterior chain and some conditioning. Nothing too special about the day, but I am constantly getting stronger at reverse hypers so there's some progress being made.
 
Rodja

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4/10 OHP

OHP
Barx10
Barx10
95x5
115x5
135x5
155x1
175x1
185x1 (PR)

Dips/Neutral Pullups
BWx15/BWx8
BW+45x5/BWx8
BW+70x5/BWx8
BW+90x3/BWx8

DB Rows
120x10
130x10
150x10
150x17 (PR)

Tate Press/Pullaparts (light band, kinda)
30x15/15
40x10/15
40x10/15

DB Shrugs
90x12
90x12
90x12

Weird day. I had a client cancel their appt, which would have left me with enough time to finish before my next appt. However, when I got to the gym, I ran into my old PL friend and spent 30 minutes chatting with him. It didn't leave me enough time to finish the whole session so I split it up into two chunks: ME and supplemental lift and then the accessory work later. 185 on OHP went up a bit slowly and I haven't handled that much weight on a strict OHP, so I decided to call it at 185. I had another 5lbs, maybe 10lbs, but didn't want to push it to the extreme so early into this experiment. I used all of my short bands to attach more weight to the heaviest DB there, which is 120lbs. I had to use a mini, monster mini, light, and average to keep it into place, but it worked. Unfortunately, one of my light bands snapped while I was disassembling it. I was about to throw it away, but did some pullaparts with it and it was perfect, which is what I used today.
 

SweetLou321

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Very good session man, hey what did you go to school for if you dont mind me asking?
 
Rodja

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Very good session man, hey what did you go to school for if you dont mind me asking?
Exercise Physiology. The two main paths for this are S&C and clinical ex phys. I love S&C, but it's a very small market. Physical Therapy, however, is a growing market with a higher chance for success.
 
Torobestia

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Hahaha, that blows @ busting a band apart. Glad the pressing session went well in terms of numbers. Weird how it seems few of your days go according to plan recently, be they from injuries or chance meetings with old pals. At any rate, looking forward to seeing how this experiment goes.
 
Rodja

Rodja

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Hahaha, that blows @ busting a band apart. Glad the pressing session went well in terms of numbers. Weird how it seems few of your days go according to plan recently, be they from injuries or chance meetings with old pals. At any rate, looking forward to seeing how this experiment goes.
Outside of the squat injury, I can't complain. I'm pretty adept at changing things on the fly, but still having some organization.
 

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