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

Bench was niiiice. Didn't PR, though. Got very greedy.

Attempts

336 smoked
358 smoked
385 got it maybe 5" off my chest. 374 or 380 was the number today.

Deadlifts were immediately after bench. I got one warmup in with 355 and it was go time.

512 smoked
556 smoked
600 stuck at my knees. Next time. 584 without a doubt.

Third attempts were all hype, balls, and attitude. Little greedy, but I'm ok with it. I think I won. I will henceforth be introducing myself as a national champion powerlifter.
 
Allen went 804/611/733 for a 2177 raw with knee sleeves, no belt on the deadlifts. After consuming copious pints of Guinness the night before and all through the morning.
 
Damn great job. Way to go. Those some good numbers to look at crushing next time.
 
rob112 said:
That put him top teens total?
Click to expand...

I wanna say somewhere in the 20s as far as all-time raw total. #9 total ever at 308 according to Michael Soong's rankings.
 
Thanks, guys. Those numbers will be in range come the end of the year. I'm going to try to get the videos off of my training partner so I can show you.
 
Rehab Day!

Bamboo Bench
88x4x10

Bamboo Row
88x4x10

Walking Bottom up KB press
30x2x10

One Arm KB Swing
71x22,30,20
Switch to 2 arm
71x31 and blown out.

Laid on the ground rolling after the set of 31. The rolling was to dismiss the back pump. Whole sesh took 30min. I was thoroughly wiped. Time to get back into shape, I always drop conditioning before the meet, not that I'm ever well conditioned. Going to work up to 200-300 kb swings per session.
 
OK, so now that I have some misses under my belt again, here's the stuff I need to work on:

Squat: Knees out. Will work on cueing to see if that helps. I'm not a "spread the floor" kind of squatter, I'm a quad squatter. So some inward knee tick is acceptable in my eyes, but I full-on caved at 600. Also going to work pause squats hard. For the next several weeks, I will be going no belt no wraps with the SSB to keep the RPE high with the weight on the bar low.

Bench: Get the damn bar down to my chest in a reasonable ****ing amount of time. My negatives were extremely slow in both meets. I'm trying to build and maintain tightness, but I need to get that damn bar down there so I can have some stretch reflex. Also, I still want more speed off of the chest. I'm thinking bands will be in effect 3wks on/3wks off. For assistance it's time to get my pecs up to snuff as well. A little more pop off the chest and I'll be moving big weights.

Deadlift: MOAR lockout! At least this time around, I have a new tool for the toolbox: Dimels. I'll be doing a lot of those. Upping the volume on KB swings as well, and finally block pulls. I want to be hitting 500+ for sets of 5 off of blocks by September. Front squats as well for speed off of the floor. I'm really going to need a monster pull if I want to be competing at the Arnold next March.

As far as competition plans, I have my eye on a meet run by Lexen on October 25th as my goal. 1565 at 220 to qualify to lift at the Arnold. If I'm going to drop a weight class and add 50lbs to my best total, most of it is going to have to come in the deadlift. So I'll be doing my damndest to get much stronger at squat and bench, but the diet and/or cut will really put a hurtin on those two lifts.

So, best case scenario, I pick up some 2-5lb PRs on those lifts and pick up the other 40 on deadlift. Worst case, I need a 625 to make it, I have my training partner beat the snot out of me, and I pull until I die or get the down command.
 
herderdude said:
OK, so now that I have some misses under my belt again, here's the stuff I need to work on:

Squat: Knees out. Will work on cueing to see if that helps. I'm not a "spread the floor" kind of squatter, I'm a quad squatter. So some inward knee tick is acceptable in my eyes, but I full-on caved at 600. Also going to work pause squats hard. For the next several weeks, I will be going no belt no wraps with the SSB to keep the RPE high with the weight on the bar low.
Heard Dan talking about sinking into the hole with forward knee travel, spreading the floor to hit depth, then allowing them to come back in line to finish the squat. Which is exactly what I try to cue when squatting.
Bench: Get the damn bar down to my chest in a reasonable ****ing amount of time. My negatives were extremely slow in both meets. I'm trying to build and maintain tightness, but I need to get that damn bar down there so I can have some stretch reflex. Also, I still want more speed off of the chest. I'm thinking bands will be in effect 3wks on/3wks off. For assistance it's time to get my pecs up to snuff as well. A little more pop off the chest and I'll be moving big weights.
I think a faster negative would serve me well too, I take forever to get the bar down, but then again I have good speed off the chest.
Deadlift: MOAR lockout! At least this time around, I have a new tool for the toolbox: Dimels. I'll be doing a lot of those. Upping the volume on KB swings as well, and finally block pulls. I want to be hitting 500+ for sets of 5 off of blocks by September. Front squats as well for speed off of the floor. I'm really going to need a monster pull if I want to be competing at the Arnold next March.

As far as competition plans, I have my eye on a meet run by Lexen on October 25th as my goal. 1565 at 220 to qualify to lift at the Arnold. If I'm going to drop a weight class and add 50lbs to my best total, most of it is going to have to come in the deadlift. So I'll be doing my damndest to get much stronger at squat and bench, but the diet and/or cut will really put a hurtin on those two lifts.

So, best case scenario, I pick up some 2-5lb PRs on those lifts and pick up the other 40 on deadlift. Worst case, I need a 625 to make it, I have my training partner beat the snot out of me, and I pull until I die or get the down command.
Click to expand...
Some thoughts.
 
NomZ said:
Some thoughts.
Click to expand...

The squat scenario sounds exactly how I do my weightlifting-style squats. I'm not very good at them, though. Dunno how Dan processes that many things in the amount of time it takes for him to squat. I can only think about one thing at a time.

As far as bench, I can't think of any massive raw benches I've seen that took a long time to get down. It took me five seconds to get 385 to my chest. I did a really good job of building tightness, but sadly I didn't get any white lights for how tight I was at my chest. I think some bamboo bar work at the end of my upper days may help, too.
 
herderdude said:
The squat scenario sounds exactly how I do my weightlifting-style squats. I'm not very good at them, though. Dunno how Dan processes that many things in the amount of time it takes for him to squat. I can only think about one thing at a time.As far as bench, I can't think of any massive raw benches I've seen that took a long time to get down. It took me five seconds to get 385 to my chest. I did a really good job of building tightness, but sadly I didn't get any white lights for how tight I was at my chest. I think some bamboo bar work at the end of my upper days may help, too.
Click to expand...
My oly style squats are even more knee travel, high bar, and narrower. But you got the point. Dunno, but I feel like I kinda do it...lolYep, amen brotha.
 
NomZ said:
My oly style squats are even more knee travel, high bar, and narrower. But you got the point. Dunno, but I feel like I kinda do it...lolYep, amen brotha.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm guessing it's the exaggerated knee play that allows me to notice it in my oly squats. My heavy squats, I'm just happy that the weight comes back up. I guess if I can build tightness on the squat with my extremely fast descent, I can do it on bench as well.
 
Dude awesome plan. I was actually thinking the same thing for a squat cycle to save the arm, build up some sturdiness and not die hopefully.

Team slow negative yo

I like where your heads at man...your like a son to me now, but like a man, like a man son friend.

I didn't steal that line from semi pro. I was born before it came out.
 
rob112 said:
Dude awesome plan. I was actually thinking the same thing for a squat cycle to save the arm, build up some sturdiness and not die hopefully.

Team slow negative yo

I like where your heads at man...your like a son to me now, but like a man, like a man son friend.

I didn't steal that line from semi pro. I was born before it came out.
Click to expand...

With a RAW RAW SSB squat cycle after all of that work in some bomb diggity wraps, I'm not sure that I won't die either. It's going to be humbling.
 
herderdude said:
With a RAW RAW SSB squat cycle after all of that work in some bomb diggity wraps, I'm not sure that I won't die either. It's going to be humbling.
Click to expand...

Ye ye ye, rawww.

Humbling, but fruitful.
 
herderdude said:
OK, so now that I have some misses under my belt again, here's the stuff I need to work on:

Squat: Knees out. Will work on cueing to see if that helps. I'm not a "spread the floor" kind of squatter, I'm a quad squatter. So some inward knee tick is acceptable in my eyes, but I full-on caved at 600. Also going to work pause squats hard. For the next several weeks, I will be going no belt no wraps with the SSB to keep the RPE high with the weight on the bar low.

Bench: Get the damn bar down to my chest in a reasonable ****ing amount of time. My negatives were extremely slow in both meets. I'm trying to build and maintain tightness, but I need to get that damn bar down there so I can have some stretch reflex. Also, I still want more speed off of the chest. I'm thinking bands will be in effect 3wks on/3wks off. For assistance it's time to get my pecs up to snuff as well. A little more pop off the chest and I'll be moving big weights.

Deadlift: MOAR lockout! At least this time around, I have a new tool for the toolbox: Dimels. I'll be doing a lot of those. Upping the volume on KB swings as well, and finally block pulls. I want to be hitting 500+ for sets of 5 off of blocks by September. Front squats as well for speed off of the floor. I'm really going to need a monster pull if I want to be competing at the Arnold next March.

As far as competition plans, I have my eye on a meet run by Lexen on October 25th as my goal. 1565 at 220 to qualify to lift at the Arnold. If I'm going to drop a weight class and add 50lbs to my best total, most of it is going to have to come in the deadlift. So I'll be doing my damndest to get much stronger at squat and bench, but the diet and/or cut will really put a hurtin on those two lifts.

So, best case scenario, I pick up some 2-5lb PRs on those lifts and pick up the other 40 on deadlift. Worst case, I need a 625 to make it, I have my training partner beat the snot out of me, and I pull until I die or get the down command.
Click to expand...

I have recently been lowering my bench with more speed. Doing it on my speed day has helped me dial it in. Squeeze my lats and flex my tris and lower and i am loaded at the chest.
 
SweetLou321 said:
I have recently been lowering my bench with more speed. Doing it on my speed day has helped me dial it in. Squeeze my lats and flex my tris and lower and i am loaded at the chest.
Click to expand...

Good point. With all of the peaking and prep work, I haven't had a speed day in a little while. I'll have to keep my focus on staying tight even at the lighter, faster weights. There will be ups and downs, but every pound I can squeeze out on bench will help get me where I need to be.
 
herderdude said:
Good point. With all of the peaking and prep work, I haven't had a speed day in a little while. I'll have to keep my focus on staying tight even at the lighter, faster weights. There will be ups and downs, but every pound I can squeeze out on bench will help get me where I need to be.
Click to expand...

Just do an extra couple sets of doubles and triples to focus on set up and speed below 50% before moving up if not doing speed work.
 
You can't learn something about yourself till you fail. Seems like you got a great plan though. Totally agree on approaching warm up bench sets as speed work. It helps me set the tone for the rest of my bench work.
 
capo180 said:
You can't learn something about yourself till you fail. Seems like you got a great plan though. Totally agree on approaching warm up bench sets as speed work. It helps me set the tone for the rest of my bench work.
Click to expand...

I hear that, buddy. I could've taken two more 5lb PRs on Saturday, but I don't think I would have learned what I needed to know going into the next meet. Not to say that you can't get very far by treating everything as a weak point, but specifically attacking your weak areas will translate to better results with better training economy. I don't think weak point training is the way to start off, but at some point it's the only way to keep progressing.

I'm the same way, once I get past certain numbers, say 315/225/335 I fire every rep as hard as I can. It's good practice and an easy way to get more volume in. I think I may bump my warmup volume a little just for the extra practice, conditioning, and stimulus.
 
Sumo Pulls to a Max.

Why? Because.

Work up work up

425x 2 singles.

These were fairly challenging.

Add belt and Predators.

475x 2 singles
515x1 PR

This moved well. Might not have locked my knees out, hard to tell but it doesn't look good on the video. Definitely much cleaner than my first 500lb sumo pull, and it moved well. I decided to round my upper back and lead with it like I do my conventional pulls. I think it allowed me to get my hips a lot closer to the bar and a lot higher, too.

Dimels
135+lightx20
Bar+lightx20

And done. Tried to coach this impossible kid at the gym. That made me want to punch babies and him. Took SO MUCH of my time. I'll probably get the rest of what I wanted to do in tomorrow. Though my hammies already feel like jello. I'm walking with a slight knee bend and I don't know why. I predict severe back pumps tomorrow. Offseason plan starts next week.
 
515 Sumo PR (EQ): Invalid Link Removed
 
Rodja said:
Don't overthink it too much. Be completely focused on the pull, but don't psyche yourself out.
Click to expand...

Definitely. I was all over the place trying to get everything perfect. It will improve if I practice it. I'm still on the fence about practicing it or my conventional.
 
Sean1332 said:
If you do the offseason 10/20, just pull sumo on deload weeks maybe
Click to expand...

I was thinking either that or pull sumo, conventional off blocks, and conventional with like 425-455 for 5-6 singles on deload weeks. I do need to build my hips up to get my squat moving on up again.
 
capo180 said:
One of the quicker PR pulls I've ever seen lol. Good work big guy.
Click to expand...

Thanks, man. I appreciate it.

That is because of two things: Like Lou said, I was gear deficient in the past. I've had equipment since May of last year, but the Predator briefs are ridiculously strong. It makes a 400lb sumo pull just as easy as getting up out of your chair with a wide stance. Second, with sumo, I either crush the lift, or I miss. I've taken 500lbs raw and rocketed it to my knees only to hit a wall at least four or five times. Fast or nothing on my sumo pulls.
 
Today was "The Rest of My Lower Body Day" Day

SSB Oly Pause Squats.

Yeah, that's right.

300x5x5

Holy shït. Effing brutality. I did not pause sitting on my calves, I paused just above that. Still hit my hips, but it also hit my quads and my mid-back. Getting worked by two and a half plates was humbling, but it's great to be challenged by a weight that's not going to wreck my spine.

Explosive Pull Ups
10 singles

KB Swings
106x31, 32

Even more brutal. I had my brother take video of the second set. By the feel of it, I should have cut it at 25 reps or so. These had me on the floor for awhile, which my brother ALSO got on camera. And that was all I needed.
 
Many Horrible KB Swings: Invalid Link Removed
 
herderdude said:
Many Horrible KB Swings: Invalid Link Removed
Click to expand...
Hey guy that's way stronger than me. I have a small suggestion, you can put it in your tool box, or you can discard it but...
Try to get a little more knee bend and less lower back on the way down, also, on the way up, you'll notice that that position will not only allow you to, but it will force you to fire your glutes harder, and ultimately make the exercise more efficient.
 
iparatroop said:
Hey guy that's way stronger than me. I have a small suggestion, you can put it in your tool box, or you can discard it but...
Try to get a little more knee bend and less lower back on the way down, also, on the way up, you'll notice that that position will not only allow you to, but it will force you to fire your glutes harder, and ultimately make the exercise more efficient.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the advice! I'll definitely give it a try tomorrow.

I'd been trying to isolate the hip hinge and put a good stretch on the hammies. You might notice some more knee bend in the first few reps, I really got back into my hips with that slight knee bend. It was a little easier with some quad action so I thought "Easy must be wrong, better make it hard." Not like I couldn't use some more quads, though.

I'm all for making my glutes work harder, I need the power for my deadlift goals. I try to keep my back flat on swings, the success of that is okay I guess, but you can see toward the end I lose my snap and core stiffness, I definitely got the lower back going there. EDIT: And a lot of front delts on the last two reps lol. Definitely not a legit PR set. I'm going to need some people to hold me accountable for proper reps and tell me when to cut my sets.
 
Yes sir. The first couple of reps were perfect, and that's what they should look like.
Is that a 53 pound KB?
If you're looking for the hip hinge, and generating the most power through it, AKB swings may be the better option over RKB swings. You know you're doing AKB swings right when you're not feeling it in your shoulders. That means your hips are driving hard enough. Anyway, I should be asleep so I'll quit rambling.
 
Don't know how you don't deadlift more with KB swings like that...
 
iparatroop said:
Yes sir. The first couple of reps were perfect, and that's what they should look like.
Is that a 53 pound KB?
If you're looking for the hip hinge, and generating the most power through it, AKB swings may be the better option over RKB swings. You know you're doing AKB swings right when you're not feeling it in your shoulders. That means your hips are driving hard enough. Anyway, I should be asleep so I'll quit rambling.
Click to expand...
AKB vs RKB, American and Russain I am guessing.

I do them as Herder does, with minimal knee flexion and just hip hinge action.
 
iparatroop said:
Yes sir. The first couple of reps were perfect, and that's what they should look like.
Is that a 53 pound KB?
If you're looking for the hip hinge, and generating the most power through it, AKB swings may be the better option over RKB swings. You know you're doing AKB swings right when you're not feeling it in your shoulders. That means your hips are driving hard enough. Anyway, I should be asleep so I'll quit rambling.
Click to expand...

That was a 106lb KB. I've never tried American swings, I've never been even remotely good at catching a KB. I just read a bunch of guys saying Russian swings are where it's at and follow their lead. I'll have to look further into the swings. I met an RKC guy in my travels, I'll have to get in contact with him and pick his brain.
 
NomZ said:
Don't know how you don't deadlift more with KB swings like that...
Click to expand...

I'm better at KB swings than deadlifts maybe? I wish I had the answer, I'm a big fan of deadlifting more.

Coming soon: Herder's First Annual SuperPowerlifting Meet. 3m knee wrap squats, slingshot benches, and max KB swings.
 
Indeed, its such a blessing for my lifting. Benching with Adrian Larsen every Monday, finally gonna get my total on point with a good bench.
 
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