Journey to Elite

[Torobestia]

Glad to see some lower body action taking place. Good news on the QL injury front

 

[Rodja]

Glad to see some lower body action taking place. Good news on the QL injury front

I'm hoping to bench in a couple of weeks and continue to increase my QL and psoas release techniques. I was a little too aggressive at the beginning and bruised the area.

 

[smoker145]

You try benching the bar recently or anything of that sort?

 

[Rodja]

You try benching the bar recently or anything of that sort?

Unfortunately, it's not enough weight to tell whether or not it's good to go. My style of benching is with a high, tight arch and it's hard to say with the bar under 225.

 

[Torobestia]

Unfortunately, it's not enough weight to tell whether or not it's good to go. My style of benching is with a high, tight arch and it's hard to say with the bar under 225.

Yeah, I wouldn't imagine 45lbs would do anything to trigger any sort of stress to see where you're at in the healing process, either.

 

[smoker145]

Unfortunately, it's not enough weight to tell whether or not it's good to go. My style of benching is with a high, tight arch and it's hard to say with the bar under 225.

Would it be bad ya think to bench real light for you, like work up to 200 or something to get some blood flow and all that? Or you thinking that would be counter productive and just keep on resting it?

 

[Rodja]

Yeah, I wouldn't imagine 45lbs would do anything to trigger any sort of stress to see where you're at in the healing process, either.

Exactly.

While my AC is pissy, it's my QL and hips that determine how well my bench day will be. I live and die by leg drive.

 

[smoker145]

Exactly. While my AC is pissy, it's my QL and hips that determine how well my bench day will be. I live and die by leg drive.

Oh ok

 

[Rodja]

Would it be bad ya think to bench real light for you, like work up to 200 or something to get some blood flow and all that? Or you thinking that would be counter productive and just keep on resting it?

DBs are fine and I haven't stopped doing those.

Since you're kinda new, here's what I mean when I say I'm a big archer:

 

[smoker145]

DBs are fine and I haven't stopped doing those. Since you're kinda new, here's what I mean when I say I'm a big archer: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ieAaDEh-Ik">YouTube Link</a>

Yea that's bigger than I was picturing. Pretty impressive to me.

And I wouldn't say I'm kinda new.

Id say I'm still very new

 

[napalm]

DBs are fine and I haven't stopped doing those. Since you're kinda new, here's what I mean when I say I'm a big archer: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ieAaDEh-Ik">YouTube Link</a>

I recognize those stubby legs and ponytail..

 

[Rodja]

1/4

CG Incline Press
135x5x7
185x3x3

Cable Rows
180x12x4

JM Press
95x10x3

DB Preacher Curls
30x10x3

Side Laterals
30x10x3

Pullapart Series (mini)
10x2


1/5

Low Bar Box Squats
135x5x3
185x3x2
205x3
225x2
245x2
255x2

DB BSS
50x10x3

Band Pallof Press (mini)
8x4

Rolling Hypers
BWx10
BW+25x10x3

Getting back in the groove. I'm keeping some good speed and making sure to stay completely tight in my core. The temptation is there to push myself a bit more, but I'm remaining with my plan and hope to work up to 315 by the end of the month at the latest.

 

[smoker145]

Feeling pretty good?

 

[Rodja]

Feeling pretty good?

Lumbar, yes. AC, meh.

 

[smoker145]

Just a curious question, what piece you use for cable rows?

 

[Rodja]

Just a curious question, what piece you use for cable rows?

As in attachment? The angled V one.

 

[smoker145]

As in attachment? The angled V one.

Yea my bad, could think of the proper word.

I typically use this

 

[Rodja]

It really doesn't matter.

 

[smoker145]

It really doesn't matter.

Gotcha just was curious of your take.

How do you like the jm press? I've seen rob do em sometimes, but never tried

 

[Rodja]

Gotcha just was curious of your take.

How do you like the jm press? I've seen rob do em sometimes, but never tried

Hate them as my leverages for them suck, but they're a great assistance lift.

 

[Rodja]

1/7

OHP
160x6
140x11

Meadows Row
95x12x3

Incline DB Press
80x8x2
80x10

Rodja Rows (lights)
6x3

Cambered Curls/Tate Press/Pullapart series (light)
95x10x3/40x10x3/10x3

I created a new exercise that is designed specifically to help learn how to keep the weight in your lats on bench. Attach a set of bands to the top of the rack. Set up as though you were about to attempt a bench press (you may need to use the bands to assist in setting up). From here, row the band while maintaining your set up and main points of contact on the bench. Keeping your body on the bench is the difficult aspect. You'll have to both row lower and use leg drive to pull it maximally and stay on the bench. Also, keep the same groove as your actual bench.

Beyond that, everything went well despite a little more back stiffness than I'd like to have.

 

[napalm]

I created a new exercise that is designed specifically to help learn how to keep the weight in your lats on bench.

Interested, ask Alex to vid please...

 

[Sean1332]

Lotsa work today. Looks like I'll be doing Rodja Rows tomorrow.

 

[Rodja]

Interested, ask Alex to vid please...

You'll find it especially helpful with learning how you maintain your arch in a shirt.

 

[herderdude]

That does sound like an excellent one. I always did the doubled mini "pretend you're benching" in a chair and the close parallel grip lat pulldowns to the sternum, but nothing carrying over like that.

 

[Rodja]

It's similar to a Dizenzo row, but those don't pull you off the bench or force you into the same position.

 

[herderdude]

Dizenzo row

Off to the youtubes again.

 

[smoker145]

Interested, ask Alex to vid please...

This please.

 

[throneof]

I like the way your workouts are structured. Are you a westside disciple?

 

[Rodja]

I like the way your workouts are structured. Are you a westside disciple?

Far from it. I seldom do speed work and I deadlift every week.

 

[NomZ]

Subbed for the learning experience.

 

[throneof]

Far from it. I seldom do speed work and I deadlift every week.

Oh yeah, I forgot they do speed like twice a week

 

[rob112]

Oh yeah, I forgot they do speed like twice a week

And use a belt to train core I believe

 

[Rodja]

Oh yeah, I forgot they do speed like twice a week

I'm not anti-Westside, but I don't see carryover from upper body speed on a frequent basis. I see it's merit every 3-4 weeks as a deload, though.

 

[throneof]

I'm not anti-Westside, but I don't see carryover from upper body speed on a frequent basis. I see it's merit every 3-4 weeks as a deload, though.

Agreed. The only movement I ever utilized speed sets for was the deadlift. That was months ago and I have since ditched speed work and rely more on multiple backoff sets for reps after an AMRAP set or after working up to a single. Are you following a particular template/philosophy with your training or is it self designed?

 

[Rodja]

Agreed. The only movement I ever utilized speed sets for was the deadlift. That was months ago and I have since ditched speed work and rely more on multiple backoff sets for reps after an AMRAP set or after working up to a single. Are you following a particular template/philosophy with your training or is it self designed?

Right now, I'm still recovering from lumbar and AC strains so my training is limited. My OHP is 5/3/1 based and the remaining days will eventually run similarly to a Cube rotation with some twists.

 

[throneof]

Right now, I'm still recovering from lumbar and AC strains so my training is limited. My OHP is 5/3/1 based and the remaining days will eventually run similarly to a Cube rotation with some twists.

Can't go wrong with 5/3/1. I'm not too familiar with the Cube, but it seems to be popular and I've only heard good things. I saw you invented your own row variation. Very cool. I read about it in Sean's log. Would the Rodja row benefit a raw lifter like myself? The reason I ask is because I think you said that it mimics being shirted.

 

[Rodja]

Can't go wrong with 5/3/1. I'm not too familiar with the Cube, but it seems to be popular and I've only heard good things. I saw you invented your own row variation. Very cool. I read about it in Sean's log. Would the Rodja row benefit a raw lifter like myself? The reason I ask is because I think you said that it mimics being shirted.

The Cube is just another permutation of the conjugate method with some more structure for each day.

My row variation would help anyone that has problems staying tight on the bottom and keeping the weight in your lats.

 

[Est1969]

Following...

 

[Rodja]

1/9

Conventional Deads
275x3x5
315x1x3

GM
135x10x4

Walking DB Lunges
40x12x4

Rolling Hypers/Band Pallof Press (light
BW+45x10x4/8x4

Chipping away. Slowly chipping away and getting back to where I want to be. 315 wasn't the best speed in the world, but it moved smoothly. Everything else was pretty much on point and my lower body is healing up nicely. The shoulder, however, still seems a couple of weeks away from being ready to bench. I know part of it is upper back tightness and I'm doing my due diligence to work all of the junk out in the area.

 

[smoker145]

Making it back hell yea.

Keep pluggin

 

[napalm]

Good shyt Ryan, heading in the right direction...

 

[Rodja]

1/10

Bench (yes, bench!)
135x5x5
185x2x2

Rodja Row (light)
6x4

HS Row (neutral)
135x12x3

Prone Incline DB Shrugs/Side Laterals
80x10x3/30x10x3

Rope Pressdowns
70x10x2

Pullapart Series
10x2

By request:


I absolutely did not plan on doing any benching until later, but I threw a plate on just to see how it would feel. As with squats and deads, I had to stay completely tight in the lats and legs, but I had only very minor discomfort. I don't expect the numbers to climb as quickly as they have been with the other stuff and I don't care. I'm just happy to bench something again.

 

[Sean1332]

Nice!!! I'm glad to see you bench again. Any idea on how you plan on implementing it back in?

 

[smoker145]

Haha!!! The bench! Nice. And thanks for posting vid

 

[Rodja]

Nice!!! I'm glad to see you bench again. Any idea on how you plan on implementing it back in?

Zero idea!! I'd love to get back to 225 by mid-February, but I'm going to be very cautious with the AC.

 

[smoker145]

Zero idea!! I'd love to get back to 225 by mid-February, but I'm going to be very cautious with the AC.

Nice I'm happy for you man.

 

[Sean1332]

Zero idea!! I'd love to get back to 225 by mid-February, but I'm going to be very cautious with the AC.

Take advantage of that Titan Ram! I thought about decreasing from 2-board to 1-board w/ the Ram. Not sure if that's overkill or too cautious or not.

 

[Rodja]

Take advantage of that Titan Ram! I thought about decreasing from 2-board to 1-board w/ the Ram. Not sure if that's overkill or too cautious or not.

Boards will be involved in the process and so I can get some heavier weight in my hands.

 

[Rodja]

I'm so sore in my mid traps and lats today. QL is a little stiff from holding my arch so tightly, which is expected since I haven't benched since November.