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Jswain's training log for powerlifting

Just since i mentioned it a week or two ago, here is what i ended up buying for a final total of 200$ at VS. Had a 20% off so it really was ~245$ worth of stuff. Paid 0.49$ of my own money after the gift cards and coupons were used.

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The gf is a big fan of the bang RTDs so we went in on the by one case of 12 get one 50% off deal they had running.

Hyde said:
Bet that felt good when done! ?
Click to expand...

Sure did!
 
A Thoughtful Pursuit of Strength Strongman + PL program W1d1

WU
Treadmill - 2.5 mph x7m @ very very slight incline
Cuban btn press - pvc x10x2
Ss/
Scap y rise - pro micro x10x2
Ss/
Band facepull/pull apart - mini x12x2
Ss/
Goblet squat - 45x10x2

•Log clean and press (all strict presses until the AMRAP)
Empty log (75) x5x2
105x5
135x5
150x5@6
(Up until this point i was cleaning only the first rep, but then i realized i was supposed to be cleaning every rep so thats what was done from here on)
150x5x3 @7/6/6
1 minute AMRAP
150x7 -> cleans werent hard, i was/am out of shape so i was panting like a dog by 30s (5 reps). I also suck at push presses so even though i was allowing a leg push i dont know how much i was really getting.

•CGBP (half thumb from edge)
45/95/135x5
180x5
210x5
245x5+ --> [email protected] (bar hit the left safety on 4/7 reps, likely lost a rep from that but thats on me for setting the pins a notch too high.

Ss/

•NG Ring pull ups (goal: 5x12)
Bw (235) x 8/6/6/6/6

•NG Lat pull down (to make up reps)
180x10
165x5 -drop-> 150x5
135x8

Ss/

•Straight bar tri cable pushdowns
140x15
125x15
110x15

•Zbar cable curl
100x15
100x10 -drop-> 90x5

Ss/

•facepull
50x15x2
 
Hyde said:
Did you have fun? Cleaning every rep is torture.
Click to expand...

Yes, I definitely enjoyed the new variety. I forgot how metabolically demanding cleans are...as soon as I came to the realization that I was supposed to be cleaning every rep I right then knew that the session just got way harder. Not harder as in difficult to get through but harder as in the suck was going to be way worse. Definitely got a novel (essentially, havent cleaned in years and maybe never trained a clean and press in my entire life) stimulus from them - my traps are sore, abs were even a bit sore from supporting my torso during the press. My left elbow is a little pissed off today though, so ill have to keep an eye on that and give it a little extra love come recovery day.
 
https://youtu.be/dDTLMIXXlJo

Great 2 min vid of Terry explaining the clean in detail for log - worth it for your biceps!

He has won WSM 90kg, won the Amateur Arnold World Championship 105kg, & is now a Pro 231 - he’s also a tremendous presser (and lifter in general), & coached by Mike Mastell who was a great 231 Pro as well.
 
Awesome, thanks. I forgot about the elbows out part (which was one huge point that this one strongman at Jakked was hammering with me since i kept fukking it up the one time i log pressed with him at the end of a workout), but the cleans were easy enough to where i didnt have to temporarily rest it on my legs. Going forward, on days like Monday, ill clean this way to practice the form but on the AMRAP im just going to clean and press as many reps as I can so if that means i can clean it without resting on my legs then thats what ill do.
 
StrM + PL week 1 day 2

•Conv DL (from floor)
135/185/225/275x5
+ belt
315x2x12 - 30s rest, 8/12 sets DOH, 2 sets of each mixed.

•Duffalo Sq
55/105/145x5
195x3
+ belt
245x3x8 - 30s rest (supposed to be 1m via the program but i was running real low on time)

•BOX Cybex cable station iso row (seated on floor, both arms at the same time but each hand had its own cable - not sure if im misnaming the movement name so thats the description)
55x15x3 - roughly equal to when id do 110 in each hand at my last gym which has the same cables as what are upstairs in the main gym here)

Ss/

•GHR
BW x15x3


Woof. Havent moved that nonstop in a workout in a damn long time. I've been listening to a lot of podcasts with McGill and i really need to find a place to add in some bridges (had planned to do them at the end but i had no time left). One tip regarding bridges that I had heard before but forgotten and he reminded me of the other day is to actively push backwards when doing bridges to engage your quads better. This will help to reduce hamstring activation which places a stronger demand/stimulus on the glutes to be the main hip extensor. They should be 99% of the time, but when your glutes shut off from sitting on your ass all day (hi, thats me) your hams take over as the main hip extensor. No bueno, gotta wake dem glutes up.
 
jswain34 said:
Awesome, thanks. I forgot about the elbows out part (which was one huge point that this one strongman at Jakked was hammering with me since i kept fukking it up the one time i log pressed with him at the end of a workout), but the cleans were easy enough to where i didnt have to temporarily rest it on my legs. Going forward, on days like Monday, ill clean this way to practice the form but on the AMRAP im just going to clean and press as many reps as I can so if that means i can clean it without resting on my legs then thats what ill do.
Click to expand...

My brovice is indeed only do that when it’s very light for you. If you deadlift it you can flex your triceps hard to keep the log angled away from you firmly at 45* so when you drop into the front squat and draw the elbows up to pin it above your belly the log is in a better position for when you extend and punch the elbows through to assume the rack position. Rowing it to you will have the elbows lower in the rack since the log wasn’t angled away from you at the start of the clean.
 
Makes sense to me. I wouldnt say I was rowing it up off the floor, but i also dont think it was a full on deadlift and I definitely wasnt dropping underneath it like I shouldve been. Thanks for all the pointers my guy.
 
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Finally said screw the cost and bought these beauts. Very excited to read them. I read 2 pages while ****ting and already found out I was doing curl ups wrong.
 
Lol, yeah I’ve seen YouTube videos of people showing the “McGill curl-up” and there doing it wrong

the back mechanic IMO is a better read than Gift of injury.
 
tyga tyga said:
Lol, yeah I’ve seen YouTube videos of people showing the “McGill curl-up” and there doing it wrong

the back mechanic IMO is a better read than Gift of injury.
Click to expand...

I had the form right, just poor execution with the holds. And dang, that is kinda disappointing. McGill has been selling it hard on these podcasts so i had high hopes.
 
Week 1 d3

•comp bp (work up to 3rm, 90% of 3rm x4x2)
45/95/135/185/215x5
245x3x2
275x3
305x2@9
[email protected]/9.5

•Spoto press
260x2x3@8/7.5/8

•Chest supp inc db row
60x12x5

Ss/

•lateral raise
20x15x2
15x15

•Cable triceps extension (box cables)
60x15
70x15x2

Ss/

•Duffin upright row
26lb kb x15x3

Notes:

1. Fuk bench
2. Loved the rowing, especially the duffin upright rows. They hit your traps & rear delts and work external rotation really well. Gotta get the right length on whatever you string through the kb right so you dont hit yourself in the nuts or chin but once you work that out theyre great.
 
Left side of my neck and upper thoracic area (seems like levator scapulae distribution from pushing around) has been pretty fkd since benching saturday. This seems to be a recurring area of pain and both of the flare ups i have had over the last 3 months have come the day after benching. This tells me that i need to figure out wtf I'm doing wrong (likely shrugging instead of depressing the scaps like you should) and also maybe do something other than comp style pressing for a bit. Could be a good time to work some floor press and still follow them with spotos? Thoughts?
 
Spotos would keep the *essentially* full ROM comp bench in the routine, so floor could definitely be a good option for a wave.

Are you benching on a competition bench, or have to use some jank free bench out of a rig/power rack? Because the extra width and padding of an EFS/Forza/ER bench makes a big difference in support (and relieves stress on the pecs).
 
Hyde said:
Spotos would keep the *essentially* full ROM comp bench in the routine, so floor could definitely be a good option for a wave.

Are you benching on a competition bench, or have to use some jank free bench out of a rig/power rack? Because the extra width and padding of an EFS/Forza/ER bench makes a big difference in support (and relieves stress on the pecs).
Click to expand...

Yup, that was kind of my thinking. But cutting comps beforehand will at least limit the volume in whatever ****ting position im putting myself in. With the lighter weights used on spotos and the 1" pause helping with maintaining tightness and hopefully proper positioning I should hopefully be able to keep my scaps retracted and depressed better if i stay mindful of it. I'll try that for now and if i have another flare ill take out the spotos and plug the db bench back in there to continue to try and work some hypertrophy stuff for my pecs while i figure out how to bench.

I was thinking on it a little more and ive actually had this pop up sporadically for like 3 years, the flares are just getting more frequent now. It used to happen after pin presses mainly, or at least thats what id attribute it to. Perhaps its actually a problem of trying to go too heavy with pins/spotos and actually losing positioning at that working point.

Absolute not a comp bench. Its a semi jenky bench out of a power rack. Its at least wider than most shît benches you find at a lot of gyms, but definitely not a comp bench. Pad is still very thin, and although its wider than a lot of commercial gym benches i dont think its quite comp width either.
 
Week 1 day 4 PL program with events

7 min treadmill walk

•Sumo deadlift off 2.25" blocks (8s week)
135/185x5
225/275x5
315x3
(+ belt)
345x8 (doh)
395x8 (straps)
425x8+ -> [email protected] (straps)

•Suitcase/farmer carries
Suitcase: 50/80/110x30 yds each hand, carrying the apparatus upside down so i was using the wider pipe that supports the weight and not the handle to work grip a little more with the lighter weights.
140x30 yds each hand

Farmers
140x60 yds (30 each way) in 20s
170x60 yds (" ") in 25s

Note: the program called for 50% of comp weight x50 yds, adding 5% until you fail to go 50yds in 10s. A few issues you may see with that:
1. I dont have a comp weight
2. I dont have an area to make a 50 yard run.

So I thought giving myself 20s to make it down and back was a decent compromise given the extra 10 yards and 180 turn thats involved. Im truthfully just happy to have these programmed to some degree and to be training them consistently right now.

•Sandbag load over yoke crossbar set at collarbone height (forgot my tape measure to measure out the 52" Hyde recommended but given that im 6'3" it was at least that, probably ~60-62")

Gym has the following weights of sandbags: 75/100/150/200/225
75x4 loads over bar
100x4 loads over bar
150x4 loads over bar
100xAMRAP in 2 min -> x15 or 17, i kinda lost track in the moment but it was one of those two.

Given that it was my first time loading sandbags or stones i erred on the side of caution and stuck with the 100lb bag vs the 150. The suck was real, will get more real soon enough.
_______________

Fun, yet challenging session. Gonna try to wake up early tomorrow to hit some contrast therapy and sauna time to help with recovery before log pressing thursday.
 
If you have access to yoga mats at the gym, laying that over the bench will add an honest bit of support.

Farmer’s walk/hand in comp will virtually always be AT LEAST bodyweight, per hand. Heavier if only one way or a track shorter than 60ft, or if not an entry level show. I would start with using at least 230 as the comp value.

Definitely bump that sandbag AMRAP up to the 150 next time - 17 is too many!!! Impressive endurance man, geez
 
Hyde said:
If you have access to yoga mats at the gym, laying that over the bench will add an honest bit of support.

Farmer’s walk/hand in comp will virtually always be AT LEAST bodyweight, per hand. Heavier if only one way or a track shorter than 60ft, or if not an entry level show. I would start with using at least 230 as the comp value.

Definitely bump that sandbag AMRAP up to the 150 next time - 17 is too many!!! Impressive endurance man, geez
Click to expand...

I have done that before at prior commercial gyms, will try it out again. I think i mainly used it to add traction to help from slipping when using leg drive then. Will give it another go for this purpose.

I am such a jackass...he probably meant 50 feet, not 50 yards, lmao. Grip wasnt the limiting factor at all today so im intrigued to find out where my carry actually stands when im not trying to carry it nearly 2x the required distance ...christ.

I definitely will progress the sandbags quick. Like i mentioned i just played it safe since today was the first time ive loaded sanbags, or any other Strongman implement (ie stones) for that matter. Next week is "heaviest triple" so ill be looking for that 200 lber. That 220 is a big burly ass bag though so i may save that for the single at the end of this training cycle, unless i feel comfortable with hitting it for the double in week 6.
 
That 220 is gonna be no problem in no time dude! Also you want the elbows between the 9&3 and 10&2 positions on the clock when squeezing the bag onto your chest/under your chin - that will keep the biceps way less involved and allow you to crush it with your lats and pecs better.

I hurt my left bicep learning sandbag and mainly Stone of Steel back when I started, so I highly recommend watching some Pros load them on Instagram, or some old Clint Darden vids on YouTube, if you want good examples of how it’s done right.
 
1. Brisk treadmill walk - 10m, 3 mph, 4 incline
2. Mcgill Curl up (done correctly with 10s hold) - 8/6/4
3. Side plank - 2 sets of 5 reps with each rep being a 10s hold
4. Bird dogs - 2 sets of 8
5. Contrast therapy x3 rounds, 2-3m each tub
6. Sauna x10m
 
Either got food poisoning at the burrito shack the gf and I went to for dinner last night or picked some bug up there, on the psych wards, or at the gym. Felt nauseated during this morning's session but thought itd pass with some food. Boy was I wrong. Got to work for about 30 mins and puked, then again about an hour later. Also was pale in the face and feeling generally like **** - weak, muscle aches. Left work early, drove the 50 mins home gagging occasionally on the way then got home and yakked 4 times in about 3 mins. Havent kept any food down other than 2 saltines but have been sipping ginger ale and now a vitamin water, gonna try and bland chicken pot pie for dinner. We'll see how that goes...but, i likely wont be lifting tomorrow AM and will save it for Friday evening since the gf is out of town for the weekend. I oddly enjoy getting sick like this every once in a while, it's easy to forget how bad it sucks and lose some empathy for pts with some "mild" GI illness when you're seeing much more tragic and morbid shît on a day to day basis.
 
Good news - good to go this morning, was just a 12 hour puke fest. Id say the nausea subsided around 830 last night and I was able to make myself eat a little pot pie for dinner even though i had zero appetite, probably ~400-500 cals. With the 5-6 saltines i was able to hold down being the only other cals i held down im gonna eat 5-600 cals over maintenance to do what i can to try and recoup my strength before tomorrow.
 
Week 2 day 1

•Log clean and press
75 x some
95 x some
115 x3x2
135x3x8 EMOM

Its tough for me to work on proper clean technique, or actually get a gauge on it, when the weights are this light. Although, i will say I was rolling the log up my torso better than I was last week after watching the video hyde posted. I'll really get an idea of how things are going next week on the max triple.

•CGBP (pointer on edge)
45/95/135/165x5
195x3
230x3
260x3+ --> x7@9

•NG lat pulldown (60s rest)
135x10
195x10
180x5 -> 165x5
135x10

(Endurance on these was piss poor, fairly dense training there though)

•1/2 kneeling tri Rope tri extension (main gym cables)
140x12
155x12x2

Ss/

•Curls
Cable Vbar - 140x12
Eagle machine - 105x4 -> 90x8 (didnt realize the dial was on 15lbs and after i got through 4 i was like why tf is this way harder than usual...15lbs will do that to ya)

•Cable crossover row into external rotation
10lbs per hand x15x3

(saw these on "theprehabguys" IG page and tried them instead of facepulls - loved them. Rear delts and external rotators were lighting up)
 
Week 2 day 3

Bw 230

•WU
10 m brisk walk at 3.5mph at 4% incline
Mcgill curl ups x8x2 sets
Glute bridge x12x2 sets w band around knees

•Conv Deadlift (up to 3rm, 85% of 3rm x4x2)
135/225/275/315x5
365x3
405x3
455x3 (vid)
[email protected]
425x4x2@7/7

Only got a video of the 455, i needed my tunes for the top set and the music wont play when recording with the phone camera.

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•Squat (oly shoes, duffalo) (75-85%x4-6x4 sets)
55/105/145/195/235/285x5
325x4x4

Squats felt like ****tttt. Man.

•GHR
vs Monster Mini x12x3

Ss/

•Box cable station iso row
65 per hand x12x4

Then some hangs as my low back was pretty tight. That top set puts my conv pull around 550, which is only 25 lbs than my pb when things were going really well. Just gonna keep putting in the work, hopefully will set some new pbs sometime this year after the last year or so of just maintaining.
 
Since today was calling for hypertrophy rep ranges with relatively lower weights i kept my comp bench and really really focused on setup aiming to get my scaps depressed and retracted. I also put in rev grip bench in place of spotos. For DE and ME days I'll stick to my plan of floor press and spotos but i dont see the merit in doing those moves for RE days.

•Axle bench (either 55 or 60lbs...?) (216-265x8-12x3-4)
55/105/145/195
215x12@8
245x8
235x6, fail 7. Rerack, wait 1m. x1, 20s rest, x1.

Ss/

•Duffin upright row
26lb x12x3

•Reverse grip bench
145x12
165x10
145x10

Ss/

•Lateral raise
12x15x3

•Inc Bench Chest Supported DB Row
65x10x5

Ss/

•band pushdown
(Both hands at same time)
Pro light choked over crossbar overhead x12x3

Notes:
My work capacity for moderate rep ranges is just piss poor on bp. Which tells me i need to do it more, so ill try to stash that away in my memory banks. I also want to get back to focusing on building some pecs (goal of when i was doing all the db pressing), theres bo doubt my tries carry the majority of my bench so hitting those as a weak point will do nothing but good things for my bench...as well as 'physique' (). Had planned to do 2-3 sets of flys as an iso exercise at the end of this but i was already 10 mins past the time i liked to be done by. I also not only lightened the lateral raises, but changed the way i do them too as i think that may have contributed to the most recent neck strain as well. Gonna do them one arm at a time holding onto a power rack with my other arm and leaning slightly away, like youd do them on a cable station but with dbs instead.
 
Had my alarm set to go in this morning, but wanted to make it 5 days between this week's conv pulling and sandbag loading on day 4 so I just did some general upkeep stuff today - will do sumos and events tomorrow after my test. I always like to workout after an exam anyway.

Bw - 227...dafuq. Getting too small.

Sauna x5 min
15m treadmill walk @3.5mph, 1.5% grade.
Mcgill curl up: 8/6/6 - 1 m rest between clusters.
Side bridge: 3x30s per side no rest between sides
Knee banded Glute bridge: x12x3
Rear delt crossover row w/ ER: 15x15, 10x15x2
Unil cable supinated tri ext: 20x15x2
 
Hyde said:
What are you trying to do with your body composition or weight? Maintain?
Click to expand...

Was hoping to maintain at 235. I will say i think today's bw was a one off as i have been regularly sitting between 231-235. Im gonna try to be a bit more diligent about my tracking and see where im at in a week.
 
Week 2 day 4

•Sumo 2.25" block pull
135/185/225/275x5
315x3
370x6
425x6
[email protected]

•Carries (60% bw per hand x max distance in 60s)
Suitcase: 110x45 feet each hand x2
Farmers: 145x45 ft x2
*145x 5 1/3 lengths (~240 feet)*

•Sandbag load over 62" bar (max triple)
100x3x2
150x3
150x3 (+ belt)
200x3 with at least 4 failed loads interspersed. I kept loading it directly into the crossbar and wasnt able to get it over the bar. Although its nice to know i can load it to over 5 feet, I plan on lowering the bar another notch or 2 since 53" suffices for most comps as Hyde informed me. Increasing the bar height can be another form of progression for me as i will inevitably be able to load the heaviest sandbag we have at some point in the not so distant future.

I almost gave up several times during that top set and considered lowering the bar several more. But i got it done. Couldnt lower it after i started because i felt like that was the easy way out.
 
Last edited:
Recovery Day

•Sauna x10m
•Treadmill walk 15m @3.5-4 mph, 1.5 incline
•McGill Curl ups: 3 clusters of 8 with 1 min rest b/t clusters
•Side planks 3x30s
•Donnie Hangs
•Rear Delt cross cable row w/ ER: 15x15, 10x20x2
•Sauna x10m
•Hot/Cold tub Contrast therapy: 3 rounds, 3-5m hot tub with 3 min cold tub.
 
Great blockpulls J! You are loading 8-10” over comp height so you should be pleased you were able to overcome that set with the 200!
 
W3d1

•Log C&P
70/100x3
130x3x2
160x3
185x3
205x2, fail lockout on 3rd.

Got some serious work to do on this lift.

•Axle Cgbp
55/105/145/175
210x5
245x3
275x1+ --> [email protected] -> hit the right hook at the top the last 3 reps. Wouldve been good for 6 had that not been the case.

Ss/

•Ring PU (NG to sup) (5x8)
Bw x7, 7, 5, 5, 5 = 29/40

NG Pulldown (2x6)
195x6x2

•1/2 kneeling tri ext (3x10)
155x10x3

Ss/

•Cable front raise (3x15)
30x15x3

•Eagle Curl Machine (spider) (60s rest)
75x15
75x8, 70x7
65x15

•Rear delt crossover row w/ ER
15x10
10x15x2
 
Hyde said:
Great blockpulls J! You are loading 8-10” over comp height so you should be pleased you were able to overcome that set with the 200!
Click to expand...

Thanks brotha. Im starting to get the itch to really start pushing sunos again.

And i did feel quite pleased and accomplished once i finished that set. Not quitting before i eventually finished the set was easily the hardest ive had to push myself in the gym in quite a while.
 
jswain34 said:
Thanks brotha. Im starting to get the itch to really start pushing sunos again.

And i did feel quite pleased and accomplished once i finished that set. Not quitting before i eventually finished the set was easily the hardest ive had to push myself in the gym in quite a while.
Click to expand...

Something Jerry Pritchett said that has stuck with me is, “Don’t quit when it hurts - quit when it’s done!”

That mentality is what it takes to be successful, more often than not, I’ve noticed.
 
Hyde said:
Something Jerry Pritchett said that has stuck with me is, “Don’t quit when it hurts - quit when it’s done!”

That mentality is what it takes to be successful, more often than not, I’ve noticed.
Click to expand...

It also takes a great deal of strength. I've definitely got the "dont quit" mentality so if I ever figure out the whole strength part I might be able to hold my own in a comp someday.

______________________________________________________

Rehab/prehab day

•Sauna x10m
•Treadmill walk x15m @2.5 incline, 3-3.5 mph.
•McGill Curl up: 3 clusters of 8, 1 m rest between
•Side plank: 3x40s
•Rear delt crossover + ER: 10lbx20, 10x15x2
Ss/
•Unil tri ext
Rope w/ NG: 20x20
Handle w/ Sup grip: 15x20x2

Ive really strayed away from what CWS actually calls for on these days which is 2x8-10 rounds of interval/HIIT style work and 20-30m of LISS but im alright with what im doing here. L tri tendon has been cranky so i wanted to hit some high rep blood flow stuff. Need to incorporate the high rep band pushdowns for sets of 30-50 like Hyde has recommended months ago per West Side.
 
Hyde said:
Turns out tendon health is important
#shouldacurledmore
Click to expand...

Lol. Ive been trying to make myself do more curling since your injury, but I just cant get into it. Always was anti curl because all the gym bros curled all the time, which basically just made me say F that. Now im like tear a bicep or curl more. It works for a set or two.
 
Week 3 day 2

•Conv DL (315-385x6-10x3-4)
135/185/225/275x5
315x10
365x10@6
385x10@8
[email protected]

(All dead stop on floor)

•Duffalo Sq (olys) (245-305x8-12x2-3)
105/145/195x5
245x8x2@7/8

•GHR
Bw x10

Switch to Kb swings
24kg x15x2

Ss/

•Cable iso row seated on floor (box cables)
65x8x5

Another drop in the bucket. Squats still suck balls. It is what it is.
 
Good work going on in here J!!! Those 200lb sand bag loads sound like a Beast!!!
 
^i ended up getting them completed by first getting the bag onto the crossbar then dipping the elbows under and pushing it over. Ya know, just getting creative with ways to try and train pressing...
 
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