Guest viewing is limited

Journey to Elite

12/29
Accumulation Week 3, Day 1

Speed Bench
185x3x3 (+40# chain)
185x3x2 (+80# chain)
185x3x1 (+120# chain)

BB Row 225x3x10

Incline DB Fly
40x3x15

Band Pressdowns/Facepulls (light)
3x20

Wasn't feeling great today and woke up with a clogged nose. Sleep was terrible last night and I was in a quasi fog for most of this. Still got my main things accomplished before I decided to cut it a bit short.
 
Got into some good top end weight, though. How did it feel?
 
Pretty solid, actually. Footing was an issue since my hips were beat up from yesterday and o only had trouble with the reps when my legs weren't engaged.

I've been having that same trouble for the first time since I started benching properly. Very frustrating.
 
I'll bother you because I'm sure you can provide a coherent answer. If I don't have access to heavy kettlebells, can I just do dumbbell swings?
 
12/31

Accumulation Week 3, Day 2

Sumo (+80# chain)
315x3x6

Cambered Bar Box Squat
225x5
275x2x3
225x5

Walking DB Lunges
40x3x20

KB Swings
50x3x15

Ab Wheel/Plank (+35#)
2x10/2x30s

After the talk of KB swings over at Lou's thread, I decided to throw them in at the end of the lower body work. Glutes and lumbar were quiet en fuego at the end of it. Was fatigued at the end, but still had some fuel in the tanks. Got some trigger point done on my piriformis and it felt wonderful in a horribly painful way.
 
12/31

Accumulation Week 3, Day 2

Sumo (+80# chain)
315x3x6

Cambered Bar Box Squat
225x5
275x2x3
225x5

Walking DB Lunges
40x3x20

KB Swings
50x3x15

Ab Wheel/Plank (+35#)
2x10/2x30s

After the talk of KB swings over at Lou's thread, I decided to throw them in at the end of the lower body work. Glutes and lumbar were quiet en fuego at the end of it. Was fatigued at the end, but still had some fuel in the tanks. Got some trigger point done on my piriformis and it felt wonderful in a horribly painful way.

At least im not the only one suffering. Good volume today
 
Should get it around then. Ill be gearing up every 3 weeks for now.
I have three more beltless sessions before I throw that back on and start throwing in some Ram on bench. I'll probably add in wraps before I add briefs again. It's either six or seven training weeks before I start my meet prep, which is when I'll start adding on gear. No real aversion to starting so early, but I'm trying something new this cycle.
 
After hearing you and Lou talking about it I think I need to do some kettle bell swings now. Probably help the LB/Hips/glutes.
 
So I'm a little out of touch with some things and I got a mighty wallop today: DeFranco moved his facility to Austin, which is less than an hour away.
 
So I'm a little out of touch with some things and I got a mighty wallop today: DeFranco moved his facility to Austin, which is less than an hour away.

You are out of touch.

I've been thinking about trying to make the trip in the next couple of months, I just couldn't find any info on prices on the website.
 
You are out of touch. I've been thinking about trying to make the trip in the next couple of months, I just couldn't find any info on prices on the website.
It's only been a few weeks so I don't feel too bad. I haven't really kept up with DeFranco since his content on YouTube has lessened recently. This probably explains why that happened.
 
1/2

Close Grip (1-board)
225x8
245x5
255x3

HS Row (neutral)
135x3x12

BB Curls/Side Laterals
85x3x12/30x3x15

Straight Arm Pulldowns/Pressdowns
70x3x12/70x3x15

IYT
10x3x10

Band RC Work

.....and I strained my left pec while benching. I've done this before in exactly the same spot and it only took about a week to heal. There's irritation when I put the arm in horizontal flexion, but nothing really bad. I'll switch Monday to OHP and then will have to reevaluate these past few weeks. I may gone with too much frequency at too high of a percentage.
 
Sucks. Why do our ailments come in bunches?
 
Ah weak sauce man! If your able to recover in a week that wouldn't be too bad though.
 
12/4

SSB Low Box Squat (+160# chain)
277x3x6

DB Side Bends
70x10
80x10
100x8 PR

Had practically zero energy on this day (had a long night and was running on about 4 hours of sleep). Main movement was more or less a speed movement and called it after that sans some sore work. To kinda salvage the day, I got a PR on the side bends and I was able to really stretch out the psoas and QL as well. Pec is feeling ok, but won't be testing it tomorrow outside of maybe some light flys. OHP is coming back into the rotation, which was my plan anyway since I did my three week wave on bench.

I will be adjusting how I incorporate the accommodating resistance for my speed work as well. What I'm thinking is alternating weeks of raw and then Ram. On the raw days, use just the short minis and then using either the short monster minis (and about 10-15% extra bar weight) or 2-3 chains on the Ram days. Thoughts?
 
Would both the chains AND the Ram make for too much of a deload on the chest? I imagine that'd be a fast transition in weight once the Ram lets up. I guess that'd be good to power through, though.
 
Would both the chains AND the Ram make for too much of a deload on the chest? I imagine that'd be a fast transition in weight once the Ram lets up. I guess that'd be good to power through, though.

My thought process for using the Ram is take some of the impact away from speed benching on the chest and shoulders. I've done some speed sets with 205+short monster mini with the Ram. The only difficulty there was grooving it properly to touch.
 
Either I'm a beast at side bends or I'm doing them wrong (guessing it's the latter) because I can do sets of 25 with the 100s
 
Either I'm a beast at side bends or I'm doing them wrong (guessing it's the latter) because I can do sets of 25 with the 100s

That's a lot of reps on them with that kind of weight. You may just a much more stable spine than mine as I've had several injuries to the area.
 
I personally use percents based on equipped maxes when using a slingshot and so if i were you id probably run a certain percent on raw days with 3 diff grips with short minis then on the ram day use a percent based on gear with short minis and chains added and 2 diff grips.

Ie.
Week 1
50% raw 1rm with bands, 3 diff grips 9x3
Week 2
45% equipped 1rm with bands and 1-2 chains, 2 diff grips 8x3
 
I personally use percents based on equipped maxes when using a slingshot and so if i were you id probably run a certain percent on raw days with 3 diff grips with short minis then on the ram day use a percent based on gear with short minis and chains added and 2 diff grips. Ie. Week 1 50% raw 1rm with bands, 3 diff grips 9x3 Week 2 45% equipped 1rm with bands and 1-2 chains, 2 diff grips 8x3
Do you personally see a benefit to the mixed grips? I feel like since you're training the competition lift that using the appropriate grip should be used on all sets.
 
Do you personally see a benefit to the mixed grips? I feel like since you're training the competition lift that using the appropriate grip should be used on all sets.

I agree. My only concern would be if you develop imbalances from only using the comp grip. I play it by ear based on how dialed in my comp grip is.

Based on that id probably do this instead.

Week 1
50% raw 1rm, raw comp grip, with bands, 8x3
Week 2
45% equipped 1rm, equipped comp grip, with ram/bands/chains, 8x3

Which is similar to what my next 7 weeks of de work for bench looks like.
 
I agree. My only concern would be if you develop imbalances from only using the comp grip. I play it by ear based on how dialed in my comp grip is. Based on that id probably do this instead. Week 1 50% raw 1rm, raw comp grip, with bands, 8x3 Week 2 45% equipped 1rm, equipped comp grip, with ram/bands/chains, 8x3 Which is similar to what my next 7 weeks of de work for bench looks like.
During my off season training, I rotate the main movement to somewhat alleviate that. Also takes some of the monotony of training away.
 
During my off season training, I rotate the main movement to somewhat alleviate that. Also takes some of the monotony of training away.

Im guilty of only using my comp grips on me unless its wide grip work. So id just run your comp grips on de work
 
1/5
Accumulation Week 4, Day 1
OHP
135x8
145x8
155x6

Meadows Row
115x3x12

Incline DB Fly
30x3x12

Cable Row
200x12
220x10
220x10-drop-150x10

Pullaparts 3x20

Haven't done OHP in awhile now and it felt ok, but a little different sans belt. Pulled back a little on the weight and just focused on the movement. Pec felt ok on the flys. May still need more time before doing anything on Friday.
 
I feel you on the sans belt. I do all my OHP'ing belt-less besides my AMRAP sets. The strength is there without the belt, but you're able to achieve much more stable positioning (especially in the bottom half of the movement) with it.
 
I feel you on the sans belt. I do all my OHP'ing belt-less besides my AMRAP sets. The strength is there without the belt, but you're able to achieve much more stable positioning (especially in the bottom half of the movement) with it.
It's usually in the 145-155 area I start using it, but it was more of not creating the pressure than the stability per say. I didn't feel less stable, but the torso pressure I create with a belt wasn't there.
 
1/7
Accumulation Week 4, Day 2
Sumo (belted, mixed grip)
405x3x3
455x3x2

Donkey Calf Raises
400x4x15

Cambered GM
225x3x10

Uni Hypers BW+25x2x10

Standing Band Crunches (avg)/DB Side Bends 2x20/90x2x10

Blah. Cold snap down here and the joints were stiff. Put in some decent work and remembered how quickly the "feel" of heavier pulls goes away.
 
12/7

Accumulation Week 4, Day 2

Sumo (belted, mixed grip)
405x3x3
455x3x2

Cambered GM
225x3x10

Uni Hypers
BW+25x2x10

Standing Band Crunches (avg)/DB Side Bends
2x20/90x2x10

Blah. Cold snap down here and the joints were stiff. Put in some decent work and remembered how quickly the "feel" of heavier pulls goes away.

Nice raw pulling
 
1/9

Bench
135x2x5
185x5
225x3

Cut it. Pec told me to **** off.

Lat Pulls
180x3x12
200x12

HS Row (pronated, low handles)
135x3x12

DB Pullovers
80x3x10

Incline Rear Fly
30x25
50x15-drop-30x20

Pullaparts
2x25

Didn't want to push it after I felt a burn in the area and decided to have a bro day for my lats and rear delts. Good pump and stretch throughout. Kinda fun to change it up a bit.
 
1/11

Squat (Ace briefs)
325x3
415x3
465x2x2
525x1x2

SG SLDL
225x10
275x2x10

KB Swings/Hypers/Band Crunches (avg)
3x15

Really needed this day. Got in some really good work and felt good as well. The Triset was brutal, but was a great finisher to some conditioning and fry the glutes. Had the honey roll out my calves, sartorius, and upper back at the end of the session. Much needed.
 
Accumulation phase over, I take it? And please tell me you used straps on those 275x10 SG SLDLs.
Yeah, the pec has pretty much tossed that out. Two out of four weeks were thrown completely off and it negates that phase. Yes, they were with straps; I always use them on SLDL and DB Rows.
 
Back
Top