Herder's 2014 Log: All About the XPC Semi's

herderdude said:
They didn't go into detail on either point, just chitchatting about the meet. Though, interestingly, most of their max effort squat days are pretty light on the bar weight and heavy on the band tension, from what I've seen.
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I wonder how much that helps gear? I have yet to try a max effort squat against bands
 
SweetLou321 said:
I wonder how much that helps gear? I have yet to try a max effort squat against bands
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That's all I've seen. Granted, I've only been there a few times, but I do know ME is always briefs, DE is always raw and beltless. Once in March it was two blues per side, last week it was cambered bar with a blue over the plates, this week buffalo with two blues and a green.

Basically, the lifter must set up perfectly and absolutely must outrun the bands off the box. If you don't have momentum on your side, there's no overcoming it.
 
herderdude said:
That's all I've seen. Granted, I've only been there a few times, but I do know ME is always briefs, DE is always raw and beltless. Once in March it was two blues per side, last week it was cambered bar with a blue over the plates, this week buffalo with two blues and a green.

Basically, the lifter must set up perfectly and absolutely must outrun the bands off the box. If you don't have momentum on your side, there's no overcoming it.
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I just might have to try this out soon. Could help me with my set up and speed.
 
One of my friends at the gym will not leave me the f*ck alone about doing box squats perpetually. I know the movement is totally different than my raw squats and I tell him that, but he just says: "I was like that too, do them everyday you squat."

In your guys experience, is there any merit to this? I spotted the guy on a 705 squat w/ just wraps and he trained at westside for a while so it's hard to argue, lol.
 
CincyKiller45 said:
One of my friends at the gym will not leave me the f*ck alone about doing box squats perpetually. I know the movement is totally different than my raw squats and I tell him that, but he just says: "I was like that too, do them everyday you squat."

In your guys experience, is there any merit to this? I spotted the guy on a 705 squat w/ just wraps and he trained at westside for a while so it's hard to argue, lol.
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My squat and box squat are almost the same. I just push back a little more to a box and sit on the box. I am happy i learned how to do them. Keep in mind i squat wide raw and geared.
 
SweetLou321 said:
My squat and box squat are almost the same. I just push back a little more to a box and sit on the box. I am happy i learned how to do them. Keep in mind i squat wide raw and geared.
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Good insight.

I'm not wide, but I'm finding myself inching out more and more. I'll probably just work them in once a week. Maybe starting on DE days.
 
Nice benching herder, and yeah I feel you on volume PRs, I kinda neglect to track them. 5/3/1 almost doesn't really allow for a multiple set volume PR unless I do extra working sets, which I'm beginning to do. just gotta try to track them. My primary focus is still rep PRs, which is what 5/3/1 revolves around.
 
CincyKiller45 said:
One of my friends at the gym will not leave me the f*ck alone about doing box squats perpetually. I know the movement is totally different than my raw squats and I tell him that, but he just says: "I was like that too, do them everyday you squat." In your guys experience, is there any merit to this? I spotted the guy on a 705 squat w/ just wraps and he trained at westside for a while so it's hard to argue, lol.
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Back in my swimming days, there was a guy who was fast as hell. Talking top 10 at Olympic trials. He'd always try to give me tips. Problem is, dude was freaking dumb. He was lazy too. He just hit the genetic lotto when it came to swimming. So, my point is, just because someone is stronger than you doesn't mean they know what they're talking about. That's why some of the best coaches ever (for frame of reference michael phelps coach was a horse trainer, never swam more than recreationally) were themselves mediocre athletes. Just rambling, but you get the point.
 
CincyKiller45 said:
One of my friends at the gym will not leave me the f*ck alone about doing box squats perpetually. I know the movement is totally different than my raw squats and I tell him that, but he just says: "I was like that too, do them everyday you squat."

In your guys experience, is there any merit to this? I spotted the guy on a 705 squat w/ just wraps and he trained at westside for a while so it's hard to argue, lol.
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I look at it this way: if your hips and hams get stronger, something good is gonna happen to your total. Learning a better box squat with Donnie in March got me more comfortable sitting back and leaning forward more, which seemed to really help leading up to my 600 squat.
 
capo180 said:
Nice benching herder, and yeah I feel you on volume PRs, I kinda neglect to track them. 5/3/1 almost doesn't really allow for a multiple set volume PR unless I do extra working sets, which I'm beginning to do. just gotta try to track them. My primary focus is still rep PRs, which is what 5/3/1 revolves around.
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Yeah, 5/3/1 is geared toward the rep PRs, but there's always first set last to give you some more volume.

If I were running 5/3/1 and I was just barely making my reps on the top sets, I'd switch my emphasis to getting only the prescribed reps on my top sets and setting PRs on my first set last sets.
 
liftandswim said:
Back in my swimming days, there was a guy who was fast as hell. Talking top 10 at Olympic trials. He'd always try to give me tips. Problem is, dude was freaking dumb. He was lazy too. He just hit the genetic lotto when it came to swimming. So, my point is, just because someone is stronger than you doesn't mean they know what they're talking about. That's why some of the best coaches ever (for frame of reference michael phelps coach was a horse trainer, never swam more than recreationally) were themselves mediocre athletes. Just rambling, but you get the point.
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Definitely, I don't agree with everything he says. I asked him a way to mitigate hips rising on heavy deads and he said it was because I do RDL's? He also was giving me sh*t for doing banded DB side bends.

herderdude said:
I look at it this way: if your hips and hams get stronger, something good is gonna happen to your total. Learning a better box squat with Donnie in March got me more comfortable sitting back and leaning forward more, which seemed to really help leading up to my 600 squat.
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Definitely man. At this point I'm learning I'm going to have to embrace some forward upward torso lean. I'll give it a shot, not giving up the boxless squats, though.
 
Haven't done box squats in a year or two... Maybe I should try soon.
 
Deadlift Party

Floor
425X4x3 RPE 8-9

Technique is still nowhere to be found. Hence the deadlift party format.

4" Blocks (No belt)
425X3x3 one set sumo

Was finally able to use my hips to get the bar off the blocks sumo. My hips are weak.

Deficit
365X3x5 last set stiff legged with constant tension

Deficits were actually the only move that felt right tonight. Read a LRB article on back building and decided to do stiff legs how Paul does them, and I can definitely see his point on how they work the whole back as well as the hams. I'll need to do regular deficits to hone my form, but some constant tension stiff legs are in my future, likely in the 8-10 rep range.

Reverse Hyper (we got an actual one at the gym this week!)
50X2x10
100X2x10
190X10
240x10

No idea what weight to use here, but I'll be doing these and GHR at least weekly. I can tell there are muscles the reverse hyper hits that I am very weak in. So something good will come of this machine.
 
herderdude said:
Deadlift Party

Floor
425X4x3 RPE 8-9

Technique is still nowhere to be found. Hence the deadlift party format.

4" Blocks (No belt)
425X3x3 one set sumo

Was finally able to use my hips to get the bar off the blocks sumo. My hips are weak.

Deficit
365X3x5 last set stiff legged with constant tension

Deficits were actually the only move that felt right tonight. Read a LRB article on back building and decided to do stiff legs how Paul does them, and I can definitely see his point on how they work the whole back as well as the hams. I'll need to do regular deficits to hone my form, but some constant tension stiff legs are in my future, likely in the 8-10 rep range.

Reverse Hyper (we got an actual one at the gym this week!)
50X2x10
100X2x10
190X10
240x10

No idea what weight to use here, but I'll be doing these and GHR at least weekly. I can tell there are muscles the reverse hyper hits that I am very weak in. So something good will come of this machine.
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Care to share that info on the stiff legs?
 
SweetLou321 said:
Care to share that info on the stiff legs?
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Let me find the article. Basically, I just stood on a bigger deficit than I did for my pulls, and after I got the weight to the top, I lowered with stiff(ish) legs until the bar was just a couple inches off the ground and returned to lockout. It was different.

Edit: Invalid Link Removed

The whole not touching stiff legs was something I saw on Paul Carter's YouTube channel.
 
CincyKiller45 said:
Good sh*t, Justin.

Those are some heavy ass reverse hypers. I shall step my game up.
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Thanks, man. I have no idea how much weight I should be using, so I'll be playing around with it in the future to find a good number.
 
Nice lifting big man! I wish I had a reverse hyper or GHR to play with.. those Stiffy's look fun, something i might try myself in the future.
 
Quick shirt session before the brother goes off to school.

Work up raw
365X1 2 board
405X1 2 board PR
Shirt
455X1 2 board
500XFail
455x1 touch

The 500 was a touch try. Shirt locked up hard, so I tried to belly dump, which didn't get a touch. Tried throwing it back over my face to press it, and my elbows couldn't keep up with the bar. Good catch by my spotters.

Pulled the collar up on 455 and got an easy touch and press. Hadn't had one in awhile, so that was important. When I can do sets of weighted pull ups and chest supported rows with 115lb DBs, I'll be ready to pull the collar down on that shirt. It requires a ton of lats. I'm confident of my abilities with the collar up, though. 480 in two weeks!
 
herderdude said:
Quick shirt session before the brother goes off to school.

Work up raw
365X1 2 board
405X1 2 board PR
Shirt
455X1 2 board
500XFail
455x1 touch

The 500 was a touch try. Shirt locked up hard, so I tried to belly dump, which didn't get a touch. Tried throwing it back over my face to press it, and my elbows couldn't keep up with the bar. Good catch by my spotters.

Pulled the collar up on 455 and got an easy touch and press. Hadn't had one in awhile, so that was important. When I can do sets of weighted pull ups and chest supported rows with 115lb DBs, I'll be ready to pull the collar down on that shirt. It requires a ton of lats. I'm confident of my abilities with the collar up, though. 480 in two weeks!
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You will get it. I still cant jack my jack shirt. Way to much for me and makes me have to touch super low
 
SweetLou321 said:
You will get it. I still cant jack my jack shirt. Way to much for me and makes me have to touch super low
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Exactly! It'll come. Takes a little time to learn the groove with each tweak, but this isn't a groove issue, I just ain't there yet.

And it feels like I can't possibly sweep the bar too low (maybe not even low enough) with the collar that low.
 
herderdude said:
Exactly! It'll come. Takes a little time to learn the groove with each tweak, but this isn't a groove issue, I just ain't there yet.

And it feels like I can't possibly sweep the bar too low (maybe not even low enough) with the collar that low.
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I hear ya. I have been working on my lats for some time as i want to start working my shirt down. In time.
 
Heavy squat day

Box squat (straight bar, green and purple bands)
Work up to 2 plates raw
3 platesx3 briefs
3.5 platesx2
385x2x2 one set I forgot my pads, holy crap that inch makes a big difference.
405X2
425x2
455x1
520x1

Lotta weight at the top. We pulled pins to use the rack as a monolift. That worked really well. This kind of session will be a regular thing. My last 3-4 sets the briefs finally set and my groove locked in, I was slow off the box with 515, but when this comes back around, I want it for a double. Little more forward knee travel than I wanted as well.

Belt Squat Holds
Dip belt around a bar in the Smith machine, lock hips but not knees, actively trying to squeeze flutes and spread floor.
315x3x 2minutes

KB Swings
106X3x15

Need to keep working these, they had my deadlift jumping this spring.

Cable Rows
3x10

Pulldown Abs/Back Ext
70x3x10/10

And done. Really shocked the CNS with that top weight, I was loopy after both of my singles. I'll skip this next week in prep for the meet, but after that it's becoming a tradition. Finally feeling My hips move weight, not a moment too soon.
 
Thanks, guys! You can do any belt squat variation with the dip belt/Smith combo.

Vids for the instagramless

Last single
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Last double
Invalid Link Removed
 
herderdude said:
Thanks, guys! You can do any belt squat variation with the dip belt/Smith combo.

Vids for the instagramless

Last single
Invalid Link Removed

Last double
Invalid Link Removed
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Nice squats
I'm surprised those pins held strong under all that weight
 
capo180 said:
Pretty cool use of the safety pins man. Nice squatz too, how much tension do you guesstimate was at the top?
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Thanks!I'd say a little over 300lbs at the top. aceroni they were bending pretty good, but when we unloaded the bar, they came back to straight. It's a Westside rack, so I trust it.
 
Recovery day

Super D post squat
Jumpstretch lower body mob routine
Banded Couch Stretch
Piriformis Stretch

Rev Hyper
100x3x15

Poundstone Curl
65X3x18

And done. Included the curls because my biceps tendons took a beating clearing brush/logging today. I'm playing catch-up on lower body mobility, which sucks, but I'm not injured or in pain and I am improving rapidly. Upper body tomorrow or the next day, last speed bench session before the meet.
 
I played catch up last week. At least the Recerse Hyper really helps the spinal erectors stretch out. Do BFR curls! You'll get swole in the process
 
So I overdid the stretch portion of the rev hypers, and now my back is tender this morning. I'll know for next time to stay tighter on them during the downswing. Everything else feels great, though.
 
herderdude said:
So I overdid the stretch portion of the rev hypers, and now my back is tender this morning. I'll know for next time to stay tighter on them during the downswing. Everything else feels great, though.
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That's the main thing I don't like about the RH. It's hard to get the rhythm down and it can leave the lumbar vulnerable.
 
Rodja said:
That's the main thing I don't like about the RH. It's hard to get the rhythm down and it can leave the lumbar vulnerable.
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I'm nut sure how you guys do them but I usually control it, and stop right at / just past 90°

The swing thru method scares me for reasons rodja mentioned
 
aceroni said:
I'm nut sure how you guys do them but I usually control it, and stop right at / just past 90°

The swing thru method scares me for reasons rodja mentioned
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I always get to about 90 degrees and let it pull me forward a little. That said, I honestly don't do these heavy as I just am trying to mimic my chiro relieving pressure.
 
Speed Bench

Bench against choked lights (no idea what tension)

185X2x3
205X4x3
Add reactive slingshot
235X2x3

Arms were giving me some shyt, I assume from a combo of heavy low bar squats and logging three days this week. The reactive slanger mitigated the pain without making it too easy.

One arm axle preacher curl
Barx2x10
35X8

The ten lb jump made those hard. I''ll continue trying to do those with added weight in the future.

Hammer Curls
3X12

Just working some blood into the sore areas.

Chest supported row (retracted scraps instead of my usual catback)
60X2x10
50X10

Vogelpohl Row/Band Press down
Light x3x15/15

Rear Delt Destroyer

And finished. Wanted to fit in a heavy accessory, but at this stage, the fluff and buff was probably better anyway. Pump was excellent, the training fit well with Monday's Condense purchase. :D
 
DE Lower (with some heavy mixed in)

SSB RAWW Free Squat against average bands (wide stance)

205X2
225X2
245X2
275X2 whoops
245X4x2

Deadlift
425X3x1 feeling good
480X3 Pretty sure that's a PR
570XF greedy. Lol
500X1 easy

I found it!

GHR
3X8

Rev Hyper
120X3x10

Banjo tight the whole set. Very different movement that way lol. Gonna keep plowing away at these.

Happy to find my deadlift. Ripped my hand a little tiny bit. It's already been salted.

Early sesh today because mothafúckin college football mothafúckas.
 
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