Jswain's training log for powerlifting

M3w2d2

WU:
Bird dog: x5x2
Kabuki side plank: 30sx2

1. Squat (x3x5)
45x10x2, 95/135/185/225x5
(+ belt)
265x5
300x3x4**

If i thought i could reliably make myself get up before my 12 hr shift Tomorrow or Thursday I wouldve pushed this session back a day or two. My L lumbar wasnt feeling the best yesterday into today, nothing bad but just the “be careful” kinda feeling that ive ignored many-a-time before.

**On rep 3 of set 4 my hips shot backwards trying to come out of the hole and i thought for sure i was fukked. Time slowed down and all i could think about was when the pain would hit. Luckily I escaped and didnt suffer any consequences. Just moved on to pauses one set short of what was rxd.

That tells me my mental game still isnt there and there are definitely some inhibitions in the squat, at a minimum, perhaps deadlift too.

2. LB 2-3 count pause squat
245x4x4

No form issues here.

Ss/

3. Bench supported Landmine row
95x12x3

4. Band stomps
Heavy x20x2 each leg straight through w/o rest

Theres a chance i may not get another session in until next Monday. I work 12s the next two days, am getting my covid vaccine friday morning, then work the weekend. The goal is to get in day 3 after the vacc Friday but ill see how i feel that afternoon.
 
Good luck with the vaccine J

Thanks man. Not too worried about the first one. The second one is the one that it sounds like is basically a guarantee to make you feel kinda crappy for a day or two.
 
Thanks man. Not too worried about the first one. The second one is the one that it sounds like is basically a guarantee to make you feel kinda crappy for a day or two.

That’s what I keep reading. Best of luck dude. I’d rather of gotten the Vaccine than get the actual virus. It sucked, big time. Lol
 
M3w2d3

1. Fp + ER
Looped micro x35x3

2. BB Push Press
45x5-10x2
85/110/120x5
130x8
150x8
(+ sleeves)
160x8+ —> x12 or 13. When i got to 8 i thought i mightve skipped rep 7 so i did one more then picked up where i left off.

3. Hammer curl
45x15

5. SA cable extension
20x25x2 supinated
20x25x2 pronated

Thats that. Good quick session. Push press didnt feel great today. Got that shot in my L delt today, who knows if that had a lick to do with it or not. I feel completely fine after the vacc...im about 8 hours out at this point.
 
M3w2d4

WU:
15m walk to the trash compactor and back
Donnie hangs

1. Band PT
Avg x20x3

Ss/

2. Pallofs
Mini x30s each way
Mini x10 pallof stir the pots each way x2

3. Sumo DL
135/185/225/275x5
(+ belt)
315x5
360x4x4, 1x5

Honestly felt pretty heavy. My back has been feeling fragile since after this session last microcycle. The L QL just feels tight as hell and its causing some L SIJ pain. It feels like i have zero pop out of my wedge right now. Due to the back I lightened the next exercise and chose to tempo them to compensate for the decrease in relative intensity.

4. SG SLDL w/ banded hips (5/2/1/2 tempo)
135x8x3

Just since I previously mentioned it, im still feeling completely fine from the vacc. Had some mild PIP in the delt i got it in the day after but that has been it.
 
I felt like the Over and Backs in DeFranco’s Agile 8 made the biggest difference in my back mobility out of everything in that complex. They’re a little intimidating at our size (I never actually put my feet on the floor behind my head, just roll back onto my upper back as far as I am comfy letting my legs fall before straightening back out), and I can’t promise they’re safe for your back, but they did seem to unlock things quickly.

Mountain Climbers however would definitely be safe and they also did a lot quickly. Stretches & pumps the calves/heels/hips/glutes and can be sped up more explosively/increase ROM as you warm.

Just a couple ideas that may help loosen you before lower days.
 
I felt like the Over and Backs in DeFranco’s Agile 8 made the biggest difference in my back mobility out of everything in that complex. They’re a little intimidating at our size (I never actually put my feet on the floor behind my head, just roll back onto my upper back as far as I am comfy letting my legs fall before straightening back out), and I can’t promise they’re safe for your back, but they did seem to unlock things quickly.

Mountain Climbers however would definitely be safe and they also did a lot quickly. Stretches & pumps the calves/heels/hips/glutes and can be sped up more explosively/increase ROM as you warm.

Just a couple ideas that may help loosen you before lower days.

How do you like the Agile 8 overall? Looking to expand my warmup.
 
How do you like the Agile 8 overall? Looking to expand my warmup.

It’s a lot when you are out of shape, but it does end up addressing quite a bit if you can move through it in a timely fashion. It’s a bit of quick mobility and dynamic movement.
 
I felt like the Over and Backs in DeFranco’s Agile 8 made the biggest difference in my back mobility out of everything in that complex. They’re a little intimidating at our size (I never actually put my feet on the floor behind my head, just roll back onto my upper back as far as I am comfy letting my legs fall before straightening back out), and I can’t promise they’re safe for your back, but they did seem to unlock things quickly.

Mountain Climbers however would definitely be safe and they also did a lot quickly. Stretches & pumps the calves/heels/hips/glutes and can be sped up more explosively/increase ROM as you warm.

Just a couple ideas that may help loosen you before lower days.

Hmm. Im slightly hesitant to do those over and backs. I feel like itd be easy to get hyperflexed and irritate something. But, ill try em. I do like the mountain climber idea. Get the whole pillar firing - activate the psoas, glutes, bracing muscles all in one.
 
Hmm. Im slightly hesitant to do those over and backs. I feel like itd be easy to get hyperflexed and irritate something. But, ill try em. I do like the mountain climber idea. Get the whole pillar firing - activate the psoas, glutes, bracing muscles all in one.

I was hesitant to recommend them. I mean I could see them being a real issue for you, but I just wanted to share my experience.

Try the mountain Climbers first and see if they do the trick before considering risking the over & backs - minimum effective dose first!
 
M3w3d1

WU:
Pallof stir the pots: mini x10 each direction x2 each way
Band tri ext
Band PA: mm x20x2
Mtn climber: x some number x2

^i liked them. They had everything firing. I tried to put a band around my feet to get a little more activation out of the hips vs just passively hanging out on them but the band kept flying off.

1. Comp bp (thumb from edge)
45/95/135/185/225/260x5
290x2x4
[email protected]

Invalid Link Removed

Ss/

2. Rd “x fly”
Choked micros x15x3

3. 2bd CGBP (pointer on border 1st 2, half thumb from border last 2) (2 min rest)
225x8x2
225x5 -> x1 -> x2 (rest pause)
225x4 -> x2 -> x1 -> x1 (rest pause)

4. Lateral raise
25/20 (22.5) x15x2 each way
 
Bench looks good man. So did the home setup! Wish I had gotten the safety arms when I had the chance.

Thanks. Need to get tighter with my lower half before i unrack it for sure. Still the only lift that I haven’t lost a ton on, at least.

They were a good find. They’re great. The price seems high but when you compare to the same thing you’ll be getting from rogue its a no brainer to go with them. They are very high quality as well.
 
M3w3d2

Back still hasnt been feeling great. It actually almost locked up on me Monday at work - i went to twist to the left to go back to facing my computer from talking to someone and my L QL spasmed for a second. Then Tuesday night i got woken out of sleep with both of my hamstrings cramped up, lasted for what felt like a half hr but was probably only 3-5 mins which is still a long ass time to be cramping. That has never happened to me before, where it was in the middle of the night or on both sides at the same time, and lemme tell you i hope it never happens again. They both have had some soreness down about 2/3 of the way to the knee for the last 2 days since then. Have a birthday and less than a week later new **** happens to you...

I bought myself a breath belt the other day. I had wanted to buy one for a while but couldnt make myself spend that much of my own money on it. I got some cash for a gift between my bday & xmas and put it towards that. Also snagged some Titan gnarly handles with some amazon gcs my brother got me. I also won my fantasy fb league so ill be snagging a Boneyard DL bar and 1 pair of 45s next time I see them drop.

WU:
W1. Bird dog x5 w hold x3 each way
W2. Dead bug off bench x5 each way x3 sets

W3. Mtn climber: x25s x2

W4. Donnie hangs

1. MB squat
45/95/135/185/225/265x5
+ belt
305x3x5

Honestly quite pleased i was able to get up through 265 beltless without any discomfort. I dont know for sure but it feels like it has been a long while since that has happened.

I must be getting fat cuz my belt was pinching my gut aka “power belly”. The fiance and I did some goal setting yesterday and I hope to do some form of cardio 2x a week in 2021. I’ll probably hit up the apt clubhouse for that, which I’m less than thrilled about, until i can use the sled. However, it is the nicest apartment fitness center ive ever seen.

2. 2-3ct Pause sq
( belted )
245x4x4 + doubled MM around knees

@6ish?

Ss/

3. Bench supp meadows row
100x12x2
105x12

Thankfully there was no pain during my session today. I am somewhat surprised with that given how things felt pre-warmup.
 
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Nice pause squats especially! And congratulations on the incoming training toys to come.

Assuming you feel good about magnesium, salt & potassium, you probably just aren’t getting enough mobility work in AFTER your lower days. Like just in the living room, a few extra foam rolls and stretches. I am bad about that, but when I am training lower seriously I need to spend more time on more days doing a little extra. I have to do way more than the wife ever needed, but you get what you get I suppose.

Download a podcast or episode on Netflix, or get on the fitness center wifi if they have any for a YouTube video, and you will come to look forward to your bi-weekly cardio sessions! Make it about entertainment and the movement takes care of itself. I mean if you are doing HIIT you’re basically confined to jamming to a playlist, but LISS is basically tv/podcast time.
 
Nice pause squats especially! And congratulations on the incoming training toys to come.

Assuming you feel good about magnesium, salt & potassium, you probably just aren’t getting enough mobility work in AFTER your lower days. Like just in the living room, a few extra foam rolls and stretches. I am bad about that, but when I am training lower seriously I need to spend more time on more days doing a little extra. I have to do way more than the wife ever needed, but you get what you get I suppose.

Download a podcast or episode on Netflix, or get on the fitness center wifi if they have any for a YouTube video, and you will come to look forward to your bi-weekly cardio sessions! Make it about entertainment and the movement takes care of itself. I mean if you are doing HIIT you’re basically confined to jamming to a playlist, but LISS is basically tv/podcast time.

I know i for sure am not having a problem getting enough sodium, I’m sure i could be better about potassium but i drink a ton of milk and have been eating sweet potatoes fairly consistently lately, so i dont think itd be that cuz if anything ive had more potassium lately than previously. Magnesium, i get from almonds, but i dont know if i have a more significant source in my diet or not. I need to refresh my memory on dietary sources aside from nuts.

I could definitely stand to be more dedicated/serious in my recovery outside of eating. I dont really do much else specifically for recovery. I just figured that i never really had to when i was training far harder and more frequent than I am now so why should I, but I absolutely see the fault in that logic as i type it out.

Podcasts and youtube will 100% be utilized to pass the time. Theres so much free information and knowledge to be had out there nowadays, and it’s all available with just a few clicks or taps on a screen.
 
“Magnesium I get from almonds” 🤣🤣🤣

Lol J do you realize how many almonds you would need to eat daily to ensure sufficient magnesium for an athlete?

There’s like no practical staple foods with mag, which is why it’s one of the only things that really needs supplementation for the majority of folks.

400mg cap of a crappy blend from Swanson nightly makes a terrific difference for me. You could do 800 of a primo form but I am looking at cost/benefit and ease of use too, and when you buy that cheap stuff on sale the daily price is peanuts. Or almonds
 
Man, just buy some mag. It's dirt cheap. As for potassium: for me to reach 4700mg through food (w/o supplementing w/ salt substitute) actually takes a lot, it's no wonder a lot of people don't get enough. Daily potatoes, spinach, beans, kiwi, and bananas 🥴
 
Yeah,potassium is tough to hit the new RDI. Magnesium is even harder.

Avocado, pomegranate juice, bananas, pistachios and fairlife are my go -to. Which actually gets me right around 4k.
 
Man, just buy some mag. It's dirt cheap. As for potassium: for me to reach 4700mg through food (w/o supplementing w/ salt substitute) actually takes a lot, it's no wonder a lot of people don't get enough. Daily potatoes, spinach, beans, kiwi, and bananas 🥴

Yeah,potassium is tough to hit the new RDI. Magnesium is even harder.

Avocado, pomegranate juice, bananas, pistachios and fairlife are my go -to. Which actually gets me right around 4k.

The other thing about potassium, really, is that it’s about ratios as well as individual needs. The govt recommends almost 1:2.5, and some bodybuilders go 1:3. Someone older who is obese with high bp and has problems with sodium retention needs to watch sodium and get lots of potassium to avoid holding excess water and driving bp. A healthy active person, especially one who sweats during activity, can consume far more sodium relative to potassium and remain healthy. And someone eating much lower carb or keto needs higher salt:potassium than the gen pop advisory.

I find I need less sodium and more potassium on cycle because I am more retentive and things like blood pressure management are genuine considerations. But off when I am healthier I can eat sodium and potassium at 1:1 and have bp that’s 117/66 at 245lbs with no obvious bloating.

Nu Salt, potassium caps, oranges and other fruits, spinach, meats are nifty for me getting potassium.
 
Haha. I didnt mean to give off the perception that I was getting a full RDA of mag through almonds, I was just kinda thinking about the foods i eat that I know contain it lol.

I have really never, ever had an issue with cramping. Like the last severe cramp i had was after a stupid as spartan race i did that I think put me into rhabdo. Then the one before that was in 2016 after a double header.

But I’ll pick up some mag, I used to supplement it but ran out and just never picked it up again.
 
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I get one or both abductors cramping simultaneously at night, and it really sucks! It would always happen after long work days spent working at floor level (mainly ground work). I found no improvement with any salt or keeping hydrated, however since I got my massage gun I have had far fewer episodes. My current hypothesis is, cramping is the result of poor circulation in that part of my body, and is quite preventable by using the gun on my groin and abductors.
 
I get one or both abductors cramping simultaneously at night, and it really sucks! It would always happen after long work days spent working at floor level (mainly ground work). I found no improvement with any salt or keeping hydrated, however since I got my massage gun I have had far fewer episodes. My current hypothesis is, cramping is the result of poor circulation in that part of my body, and is quite preventable by using the gun on my groin and abductors.

Always want that groin circulation for optimal male health, eh Benny?
 
M3w3d3

WU:
Front rack hold: 245x10-20s x3
Bw squat: x15
Squat chillin: x30s in deep squat

1. FP + ER (around wrists)
Micro x35x3

2. BB PP
45x10
95x5
110x5
120x3
150x8
(+ red cerb elbows, belt)
180x6
190x3+ —> [email protected]
— Joker —
225x3@10

3. Looped band ext
Mini x25x3

Ss/

4. Hammer curl
45x15x2

Speaking of OP, did anyone see Jerry Prichetts axle clean and presses the other day? Lifting 300lb like a toothpick. It was really just a show lift for IG but it had its intended effect and impressed me, lol.
 
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Apologies for any mental images my post may have conjured of an overweight middle aged man with a vibrating massage gun buried in his groin.

Did not have any mental images UNTIL this post. THANKS!
 
Strong ass press man.

Thanks man. Honestly wasnt sure id get the triple but i didnt have the time for a tweener set between 190 & 225 so i just went for it. The last rep was a grind, got it about half way up right when the weight comes off the delts and into the triceps and it kinda floated back down on me some, but i was able to reverse it and lock it out. It was a true 10.
 
M3w3d4

WU:
Hangs
Landmine BW lunge: 45x10 each leg holding weight on same side x2
Bus drivers: 45x10
Mtn climbers: 45x20s x2

1. Pull through
Avg x20x3

Ss/

4. Spud cable pulldown
90x10
115x10x3

3. Sumo DL
136/185/225/275/315x5
365x4x4 (videod 4th set & my form is ****, my hips are so far away, my torso is angled way too far forward making my shoulders in front of the bar, the fulcrum is basically just in my L-spine).

Not easy. Probably at an 8 as much as it sucks to say that.

Conventional: 365x4 - did last set conventional. If im gonna have **** form i might as well just pull conventional.

4. SG RDL w/ banded hips
Out of time

Ss/

5. Paused Ab rollout
Out of time

My alarm was supposed to go off at 4:18 but it didnt. Luckily i woke up naturally at 455 and hurried to try and get something in, but that 30 min difference is what led to me not being able to finish the RDLs & rollouts.

Im likely gonna reset back down 315 next microcycle and really work on sitting back and shooting the hips through. Or i may just restart at 355 and work on it - the main thing is im just not going to be adding weight until I figure it the fk out.

I think i mentioned it but i got an actual landmine apparatus off of amazon for less than 30$ and it is very nice. Heavy duty, full swivel, has a place for both 2” & 1” bars, a twist pin to lock the bar into place, another where you can attach it to a rack - everything you could want for a very fair price given places like rogue charge ~100$ for one that id argue is less versatile.
 
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I’d give it one more week at the 355 to see if you can work it out, and then drop down lower if that still can’t get worked out. But now that you realize what’s off it may be an easy fix, so I’d try that first.
 
Cardio:
10m walking
Stationary bike x15 min pulse 120-150

Susp trainer fp w/ ER: bw x10x3
Donkey kick machine: some weight x15 x2

Got the second shot yesterday. Had planned on either doing what I did today or hitting bench, but i just didnt feel up to it afterwards. I felt run down, had a couple episodes of diarrhea (really just 1 legit one), and started to get a mild headache later in the day. Due to that I just got a bunch of easy stuff done around the house. Today i still have a bit of a mild headache and some mild injection site soreness but otherwise feel fine. Will hit upper tomorrow.
 
My 92yr old grandpa got his first shot last Tuesday. He said “I feel fine”, all I could think was.. “it’s the second shot that tends to cause the sides of you get them.” Either way I’m glad he’s getting it, I can take him out to eat every once in a while (14 days after his next injection) because I still have antibodies (from my blood test).

I imagine since you’re a healthy gent that the bout of the trots 🤣 and the headache is all you’ll deal with- hopefully.
 
My 92yr old grandpa got his first shot last Tuesday. He said “I feel fine”, all I could think was.. “it’s the second shot that tends to cause the sides of you get them.” Either way I’m glad he’s getting it, I can take him out to eat every once in a while (14 days after his next injection) because I still have antibodies (from my blood test).

I imagine since you’re a healthy gent that the bout of the trots 🤣 and the headache is all you’ll deal with- hopefully.

Side effects are actually less common in those >55 or 60 y/o (can’t remember which one it was). And the 95% effectiveness is 7 days post 2nd shot, 50-55% effective 14 days post 1st shot. Thats the data for the pfizer anyway. Happy you guys will be able to see one another again, im hoping my great grandma gets it before she passes so we can make the trip to Columbus so she can meet my son. What a crazy year.

Yah, it was/is no big deal - it just hit me all of the sudden when I was in Home Depot. I had to drop all the shelving I was planning on buying and sprint across the store to the can lol. Those big ass hardware stores are one of the worst places to be in that circumstance because of how huge they are .
 
M3w4d1

WU:
Tri set w/ micros
A. Tri ext: 3x20
B. RD X fly: 3x15
C. Pec fly: 3x15

1. Comp bench (thumb from edge)
45/95/135/185/225/265x5
[email protected]/8/8/7.5
295x4@9

Ss

2. Landmine Standing BO Row (NG w/ Gnarly Handles)
45x12x4 (mainly for anti-rotation anti flexion core work)

3. CGBP 2 board (pointer on edge) (2 min rest)
215x8x3
215x7 - 10s rest pause - x1

Ss/

4. RD “X” fly
Choked Mini x15x3

Pretty much just tired AF after the shot now with minimal soreness in the L delt remaining. Who knows if the fatigue is from the shot or sleep training the little guy, though.
 
How olds your boy?

A few days shy of 4 months. He’s actually handling it really well, thankfully. We’ve been at it since Thursday and can already see improvements.
 
A few days shy of 4 months. He’s actually handling it really well, thankfully. We’ve been at it since Thursday and can already see improvements.

That’s awesome. Lucy wouldn’t sleep through the night until she was almost two! But my wife breastfed her until she was three and she co-slept with us until she was three as well lol
 
That’s awesome. Lucy wouldn’t sleep through the night until she was almost two! But my wife breastfed her until she was three and she co-slept with us until she was three as well lol

Yah. He doesn’t sleep all the way through, brooke has had to get up to breastfeed him between 11-12 and again around 3, but for her that beats the heck out of sleeping unreclined in a lazy boy slumped over. Her neck, back, hips were really starting to give her problems and it definitely wasnt restful sleep. It just wasnt sustainable for her anymore.

We thought hed really struggle because he has slept in a bassinet without brooke for less than 10 hrs cumulatively since we brought him home. And he HATED the crib when we first tried naps in it. But after that first night he seems to have gotten the hang of it...so far.
 
Man, that’s huge lol We would go to lay Lu down in the crib and she would wake immediately. Keep doing what you’re doing!
 
M3w4d2

WU:
Mtn climbers: x30s
RFE Landmine Split squat: 45x10x2
Ss/
Dead Bug: x8 each side

1. Sq (mid to low bar)
45/95/135/185/225/275x5 (with breath belt)
[email protected]/7.5/7.5/9/7.5

4th set my hips shot back on last rep and increased the RPE.

2. 2-3 ct pause squat
(Breath belt)
250x4x4

3. Bench supp Gbarly NG Landmine row
100x10x3

Ss/

4. Band stomps
Heavy x20x2

Ss/

5. Ab rollout
Bw x8 x2

Breath belt is very nice. Like I said I was very hesitant to spend that much on a soft belt, but with the cash gift I had been given it made it worth the gamble. It is much more supportive than the soft neoprene rehband “warm belt” but still pliable enough to allow for expansion with proper diaphragmatic breathing. Im hoping just working on breathing drills with it might help my back discomfort by helping to correct (at least partially) my APT & potential scoliosis that ive never actually been officially diagnosed with but think i have.
 
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M3w4d2

WU:
Mtn climbers: x30s
RFE Landmine Split squat: 45x10x2
Ss/
Dead Bug: x8 each side

1. Sq (mid to low bar)
45/95/135/185/225/275x5 (with breath belt)
[email protected]/7.5/7.5/9/7.5

4th set my hips shot back on last rep and increased the RPE.

2. 2-3 ct pause squat
(Breath belt)
250x4x4

3. Bench supp Gbarly NG Landmine row
100x10x3

Ss/

4. Band stomps
Heavy x20x2

Ss/

5. Ab rollout
Bw x8 x2

Breath belt is very nice. Like I said I was very hesitant to spend that much on a soft belt, but with the cash gift I had been given it made it worth the gamble. It is much more supportive than the soft neoprene rehband “warm belt” but still pliable enough to allow for expansion with proper diaphragmatic breathing. Im hoping just working on breathing drills with it might help my back discomfort by helping to correct (at least partially) my APT & potential scoliosis that ive never actually been officially diagnosed with but think i have.

Nice work mate! Squat numbers are moving up nicely!
 
Nice work mate! Squat numbers are moving up nicely!

Thanks Hoss!

M3w4d3

8/6/3 BB Pp was on deload so i just did some pressing with the landmine & gnarly handle 45 degree hand position.

1. FP + ER
Choked micro x35x3

2. Gnarly Landmine OP (hand position as above)
100x8x2

3. Band tri ext:
Looped mini over yoke xbar x20x3

4. Band PA
MM x20x3

Basically a deload day but not officially.
 
M3w4d4

1. Sumo DL
WU: 135/185/225 “pop off” pauses
275x5
315x5
365x4x5

Moved my feet out wider than what I remember typically having them and that allowed me to get my hips in closer and sit a little more upright. The last rep of 315 came up so quick that it caught me off guard and tipped me backwards. I had to take some quick shuffles back to stop myself from falling. Half good that it moved that quick but half bad that I’m so loose on the ground that I tipped that easily.

365 sets moved night and day from last micro. These truly felt explosive. Just wish i could get some consistency...whenever I have these thoughts my mind always goes to wanting higher frequency with strictly technique work. I think I’m kind of addicted to that form of training just because the results RTS Project Momentums yielded for me. My hips and lumbosacral region just cant handle it at this point though.

2. Unil Landmine RDL
100x10x3

This will be sticking around as an accessory. My hammies and whole glute complex was on fire only a few reps in. Just need to be sure to stay focused on bracing as the anti rotation is something my spine struggles with and is easy for me to overload.

Ss/

3. Spud pulldown
115x10x4 vs mini around yoke pegs with the middle wrapped around the pulldown pin.

4. PT
Avg x20x2

Ss/

5. Ab rollout
Bw x8x2
 
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