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16 Weeks to APF TX Challenge

Sean1332 said:
Does your hip tightness stem from your wide stance and sumo?
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Geared, no, but this raw **** is awful. I've been doing Oly stance on squat as to keep the load off of my hips and planned to do conventional pulls for this reason. It's the little things that I neglected that are coming back to bit me in the ass.
 
Rodja said:
Geared, no, but this raw **** is awful. I've been doing Oly stance on squat as to keep the load off of my hips and planned to do conventional pulls for this reason. It's the little things that I neglected that are coming back to bit me in the ass.
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Sucks man. Get your ass back into some gear haha I gave sumo a shot the other day and it just felt odd, like I had no power off the floor.

What's your normal warmup?
 
Sean1332 said:
Sucks man. Get your ass back into some gear haha I gave sumo a shot the other day and it just felt odd, like I had no power off the floor.

What's your normal warmup?
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I roll out with a baseball and then my extra firm Rumble Roller. Then I move on to TKEs and mobility work. I added in some band trunk rotations to try to loosen the abs, but they didn't help out too much.

I may also be hitting a wall physically as this is the second consecutive session that has sucked.
 
I'm having a lot of the same issues right now. I've neglected some mobility and smr and when that's combined w a new desk job you get pain. I've got a painfully tight R hip flexor and I've been getting ridiculous back pain which I would imagine is exacerbated by my APT. Good luck getting back on track
 
tigerdb2 said:
I'm having a lot of the same issues right now. I've neglected some mobility and smr and when that's combined w a new desk job you get pain. I've got a painfully tight R hip flexor and I've been getting ridiculous back pain which I would imagine is exacerbated by my APT. Good luck getting back on track
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This has been an issue since at least Fall '09 for me. It comes and goes and I'm fairly sure that the raw sumo work has exacerbated this right now along with the aforementioned lack of MFR and transverse ab work. I'm going to throw in an extra core day on Friday's, which will still give me a day off before my ME on Sunday's.
 
5/21 Upper

OHP
135x7
145x6
155x4
135x9

Kroc Rows
145x22 PR

Incline DB Press
70x10
75x10
80x8
80x10

Tate Press/Side Laterals
35x10/30x15
40x10/30x15
40x10/30x15
50x7

Prone Incline Shrugs/DB Curls
55x12/50x6
55x12/50x5
70x10
70x10

It looks like I was a bit premature in my assessment of needing a deload. OHP was the best that it's been in awhile and I added 2 more reps to my Kroc row PR. The next highest DB they have is 200lbs and I'm not sure that my hips and core are ready to tackle that at this moment. What I'm going to try to do is add some chains to the 145lb DB to add some variety. I'm going to attempt to pull tomorrow evening, but I'll be doing so in my suit if I can get it back. If not, I'll be using some loose Viking briefs.
 
5/22 Lower

Sumo
455x3x5

Glute Bridges
185x10x2
225x8x3

Donkey Calf Raises/Ab Wheel
200x15x4/BWx10x4

AbD/AdD
115x15x5

The hip is feeling better, but is still at maybe 50%. Luckily, I received my briefs that I ordered earlier than expected and I was able to pull. I can tell that my mobility is getting better just by the groove that I felt while pulling. Nothing was near a max rep set as I was mainly looking to work my technique and adjust to the briefs. I'm shirting up on Friday as I am about 10 weeks out and it's time to start training for the meet.
 
5/24 Upper

Bench
225x5
275x5
315x3
Added Shirt
365x3 (3-board)
405x3 (3-board)
405x2 (2-board)
455x2 (2-board)
395x2 (3-board)

Incline DB Press
70x10
80x10
90x8
90x7

Meadows Rows
90x15x4

Side Laterals/Tate Press
35x15x3/35x15x4

Y/Pullaparts (mini)
15x8x3/15x3

Being back in a shirt felt so damn weird. Part of it is that I've recomped and my arms are a tad bigger, but most of the struggle was from my lack of leg drive. It wasn't too bad, but I was lacking drive at the bottom of the press and I couldn't get a solid base under me. Still, it wasn't anything terrible for a first session back and I have 10 weeks until the meet. It's way too early in the process to even start to plan numbers, but I do have a goal of hitting 455ish by the end of the year.
 
5/26 Lower

SSB Squat (Ace briefs)
445x3x4
495x1

SLDL
225x10
275x8
315x5
315x6

DB Side Bends/Banded Crunches (average)
80x10/15
90x10/15
100x10/15
100x10/15

First squat session back in some gear and it felt great. I still did it closer to accumulation style since I want to give myself a couple of weeks to adjust to the spinal compression and new briefs. That being said, I flew out of the hole and had more weight and reps in me on this day. The reason I held back was primarily my hip issue, which didn't bother me today, and the fact I am still almost 10 weeks away. The plan is 2-3 more weeks of briefs, a deload, and then adding the suit.
 
Rodja said:
4/23 Upper

Bench
225x6x2
225x7

Meadows Rows
90x15
115x12x2

Flat DB Press
70x15 (didn't feel right)

Incline DB Press
65x10x2

Rolling Tricep Ex/Band External Rotations (mini)
30x15/15
30x12/15
30x11/15

After this, I can tell that my legs aren't completely back underneath me as I didn't have the same pop that I usually do and had to muscle the weight up more than normal. I've also implemented some of the techniques that Donnie Thompson showed us at the meet regarding humeral health and mobility and I can already tell a huge difference. Although my muscular endurance is down a lot, I can already tell a difference in recovery between sets.
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love donnie Thompson. subbed for mobility talk
 
5/28 Upper

OHP
135x8
145x5
155x6 (+2 over last week)
135x11

Meadows Rows
70x15
90x10
115x10
135x10+4

Flat DB Press
85x10
90x10
95x10
100x8

Tate Press/DB Curl (done simultaneously)
40x15/35x15
40x15/40x10
40x15/40x10
40x15/40x10

Y/Pullaparts (two minis)
20x8/15
20x8/15

Band Facepulls/Band Pressdowns (light)
15/15
15/15
15/15
15/15

One word: volume. I am still ramping up my volume to keep my work capacity as high as possible. My numbers are climbing, my upper body feels great, and I'm having a solid recomp along the way. No PRs on this day, but my numbers on OHP and DB press are the highest they've been in probably six months and I noticed that my shirt was tighter than the last time I wore it. There's still a lot of things that can change between now and the meet, but I definitely didn't feel this great last time I got back into gear.
 
I took 1.5 scoops of Enhanced today. I was humming along the entire time and only left because I was hungry.
 
Rodja said:
I took 1.5 scoops of Enhanced today. I was humming along the entire time and only left because I was hungry.
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Mine will be in the mail hopefully before the weeks out. I look forward to trying this. Profile looks great.
 
5/29 Lower

Sumo
405x5
475x3x2
515x3
535x3
565x1

Snatch-Grip (4" blocks)
315x5
365x5x2

Band Trunk Rotations (light)/Donkey Calf Raises
8/200x15
8/240x15
8/300x15
8/300x15

First time pulling anything over 500 since the meet and it felt great. 565 came up a bit slow for my liking and I probably shouldn't have gone that high, but it was smooth and felt good in my hands. I'm going to go anti-Westside for this training cycle and pull 80%+ every other week alternating with speed work to keep work capacity high. My hip is much better than this time last week and I'm starting to feel dialed in for the next couple of months.
 
No training today, but damn my hands have been hurting all day. Is it masochistic that I missed this feeling?
 
5/31 Upper

Bench
275x5
315x3
315x3

Floor Press (+120# chain)
135x8
155x6x3
185x2

Cable Rows
150x15
180x12
200x10
220x10
180x15

Physically, I felt great today and had a good day at work as well, but that changed once I got under the bar. 315 felt very weird in my hands and adding on a shirt was not going to be a good idea. I think part of the problem was the kick in the balls from pulling a couple of days ago and with a small CNS hangover. This lackluster session means that I will have to really pull out some extra fua for Sunday when I throw on the Jack briefs.
 
That's some serious chain weight on those floor presses.
 
6/2 Lower


Squat
405x3
455x1
495x1
545x1
585x1 (reverse band)
625x1 (reverse band)

GM
225x10x2
275x8
315x7

DB Shrugs/Short Band Side Bends (monster mini)
85x15/15
95x15/15

First real squat day back in gear. I used my Jack briefs and played the weight by ear. My lumbar was still highly irritated and tight, so I wasn't sure how it was going to limit me. The last set was my projected opener and it was very smooth despite the discomfort. The suit is still to be determined over the next month or so.
 
BAND side bends? That's a good idea. I might bust those out right now. Those GMs are damn impressive. If I were doing those, I wouldn't have hurt myself and I would've easily finished the lift I hurt myself on.
 
Swanson52 said:
You geared guys so cray.
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I'm one of the sane ones.

herderdude said:
BAND side bends? That's a good idea. I might bust those out right now. Those GMs are damn impressive. If I were doing those, I wouldn't have hurt myself and I would've easily finished the lift I hurt myself on.
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I have some short bands that I seldom use and wanted to try something a little different for my core.
 
Rodja said:
I have some short bands that I seldom use and wanted to try something a little different for my core.
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I have ONE band. I'll probably have to double it.

EDIT: The back didn't like doubling it. Choking up on it was plenty hard enough.
 
Oh, I'm sure yours is hard enough, mine is about three feet long. That is awfully short.
 
Looking at the tension chart and doing some air side bends with a cloth tape in my hand, I'm seeing that lights would be brutal. Something like 90 at the bottom and 120 at the top. Not that monster mini's would be fun, either.
 
herderdude said:
Looking at the tension chart and doing some air side bends with a cloth tape in my hand, I'm seeing that lights would be brutal. Something like 90 at the bottom and 120 at the top. Not that monster mini's would be fun, either.
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I just clicked on the first short band I found..
 
I was out of town and couldn't do my upper-body session on Tuesday.

6/5 Lower

Worked up 565x1x2
605 FAIL

SLDL (+120# chain)
225x10
275x8
315x7
315x10

Unilateral LP
270x15x4

Band Trunk Rotations (light)
50 reps

I was feeling saucy and attempted 605, but lost the grip about 3" from lockout. I never broke form during the attempt and, although it didn't have great speed, it looked beautiful from a technique perspective (sans the drop). I really need to step up my grip training as I've had enough of this grip failing on my top-end pulls when I am otherwise strong enough to get well over 600. The SLDL with chains was a new feeling and they really force you to come up with big speed and keep a tight core.
 
6/7 Upper

Bench
225x5
275x3
315x3
Added Shirt
405x1 (3-board)
455x1 (3-board)
455x1 (2-board)
425x1 (1-board)
435x1 (1-board)

OHP
135x8x3
135x6

HS Rows (both arms concurrently; weight per arm)
135x12x3
160x10

Y/Pullaparts (mini)
20x8/15
20x8/15
20x8/15
20x8/15

I wanted to start working to lower boards earlier in this cycle than the previous meet and did just that today. I didn't hit a PR, but they all felt good and looked smooth. It's extremely important for me to build my confidence up in my bench and hitting these sets to lower boards at this point is a great start for me.
 
Sean1332 said:
Good lookin session man. I may venture to a 1-board on Tuesday if I'm not feeling horrible.
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You just have to do it. I didn't plan on going to a 1-board tonight, but I wanted to get a better idea of where my opener will be in August. It looks like it's going to be 424 and hopefully get somewhere in the 450s.
 
Rodja said:
You just have to do it. I didn't plan on going to a 1-board tonight, but I wanted to get a better idea of where my opener will be in August. It looks like it's going to be 424 and hopefully get somewhere in the 450s.
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I have Herder's Rage coming in Monday so I'll give it a test drive Tuesday.

I bet you'll get ~450 up easy next meet.
 
Sean1332 said:
I have Herder's Rage coming in Monday so I'll give it a test drive Tuesday.

I bet you'll get ~450 up easy next meet.
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It's a matter of groove and tightness; if I can optimize both of these at the meet, 451 is on the radar.
 
napalm said:
how do you like the hs rows?

we have one at my gym but i've never touched it...
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I do them when I don't have the gas for free weight rows. I'm not a huge fan of fixed angle stuff, but its better than nothing. I'm not in gear shape yet and lower boards especially take it out of me.
 
I saw an Andy Bolton dvd the other day that mentioned him doing HS rows with 200 kg. He's unreal.
 
6/9 Lower

Squat
Worked up 605x1

Walking DB Lunges
65x10x4

Hypers/Donkey Calf Raises
BWx15/260x15
BW+45x15/300x15
BW+90x15/300x15
BW+90x15/340x15

Ab Wheel
BWx10x4

Suit is on the way so this is the last briefs-only session for this cycle. I went straight weight today and I looked better than last week and my speed was better. I'm slightly switching my assistance philosophy in that I'm doing slightly less posterior chain stuff and shifting more energy into my quad and calf training. My calves were constantly bugging me last cycle and I neglected the hell out of them. Lesson learned.
 
65lb lunges, no thank you. I'd be sweatin bullets.

When/how do you recommend working in the reverse hyper? Honestly never used it before.
 
Sean1332 said:
65lb lunges, no thank you. I'd be sweatin bullets.

When/how do you recommend working in the reverse hyper? Honestly never used it before.
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1-2x/week.

It takes a little time to get used to the technique and groove of it, but it really helps to alleviate compression of the spine and strengthen the hell out of the lumbar.
 
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