Sweetlou's training log

[SweetLou321]

2/4
Sumo deadlift (shin on ring)
420x12,8,5,5 @9,9,8,8
High bar pause squat (slightly closer stance in oly shoes)
225x8x3 @7-8
Bss (deep as possible)
15lb dbsx8x3 @7
Abs wheel with a pause
8x3 @7-8
Notes: pulled sumo to see how it would go. Felt ok but I'm not ready for it. Right side is achy now. So either a closer stance sumo or just conv again. Explored my hip mobility and it actually squat a little wider then my deepest groove. A touch closer with the oly shoes felt so natural. Squat never felt that natural. All in time

 

[Hyde]

I've been focusing on really trying to control my torso as I descend in the squat and I think it is starting to pay out

 

[SweetLou321]

I've been focusing on really trying to control my torso as I descend in the squat and I think it is starting to pay out

This also helps me big time. But finding my hips grooves has helped my comfort in the hole on squat. It's just a tad more narrow.

 

[SweetLou321]

2/6
Low incline bench paused
175x10 @9
165x10 @9
155x6 rest 60s 6 more reps @8
Dips
25x10x3 @7/8/8
Head supported db rows
60x10x4 @7/7/8/8
Db curls-upper trap raises
25x10/8/5-10x12/10/10 @8
Cardio: 20min on bike at 60-70% hr
Notes: I'm pretty sore. I'm about at my limit dieting wise. I'm prob gonna start reversing soon as these workouts are just more and more draining. Feel decent tho. Greg nuckols convinced me to use the bike for cardio after I read a few articles. No more hiit for now. At least my legs will thanks me.

 

[Hyde]

Greg Nuckols looks like he's the master of cardio

 

[SweetLou321]

Greg Nuckols looks like he's the master of cardio

lol regardless if he does it or not, I need it but I want the most benefit for my effort and the bike seems to give me what I want without effecting my training much

 

[SweetLou321]

Enjoying gregs program at the moment, it's also extremely time friendly which is great for me right now. And these high reps are a real challenge which is refreshing.

But I was wondering why none of us try Sheiko? I don't plan on trying it anytime soon but it looks fairly specific and well controlled volume and fatigue wise.

 

[liftandswim]

Enjoying gregs program at the moment, it's also extremely time friendly which is great for me right now. And these high reps are a real challenge which is refreshing.

But I was wondering why none of us try Sheiko? I don't plan on trying it anytime soon but it looks fairly specific and well controlled volume and fatigue wise.

Weights aren't terribly difficult, but doing squats then bench then squatting again? Just seems like workouts would take awhile.

 

[SweetLou321]

Weights aren't terribly difficult, but doing squats then bench then squatting again? Just seems like workouts would take awhile.

I agree, after reading first hand accounts. It appears 2-3 hrs is the norm on shieko. **** that. I'll never do it when my workouts at max with chit chatting and bull ****ting take 2 hrs now with warm up and cool down included and cardio if I choose.

 

[rob112]

I agree with you guys, my time in the gym is already too long.

How many days a weeks you going? What program of his? Is it from when you sign up for emails?

 

[SweetLou321]

I agree with you guys, my time in the gym is already too long.

How many days a weeks you going? What program of his? Is it from when you sign up for emails?

I go 4 days a week, it's his average to savage program, it got it with his tool kit. I can share if need be. The tool kit was 10$

 

[rob112]

I go 4 days a week, it's his average to savage program, it got it with his tool kit. I can share if need be. The tool kit was 10$

Ah that's not a bad deal. I like the looks of what's going on, and with me expected baby 3 things are getting hectic and time is becoming a factor again. I'll have to look into it when I get a chance, and 10 bucks, I'll support the dude. I appreciate the offer though Lou.

 

[SweetLou321]

Ah that's not a bad deal. I like the looks of what's going on, and with me expected baby 3 things are getting hectic and time is becoming a factor again. I'll have to look into it when I get a chance, and 10 bucks, I'll support the dude. I appreciate the offer though Lou.

Yeah it's very straight forward, autoregulated, and you can alter things based on what you need. I can be in and out if need be. It was a much needed and refreshing change for me. Deff check it out.

 

[Hyde]

My knees absolutely cannot tolerate the squat frequency of Sheiko. I can't even sustain twice a week honestly.

 

[SweetLou321]

My knees absolutely cannot tolerate the squat frequency of Sheiko. I can't even sustain twice a week honestly.

Interesting, I was the same until I learned how to really squat, now I max out my torque on my knees and they feel better then ever

 

[Hyde]

Interesting, I was the same until I learned how to really squat, now I max out my torque on my knees and they feel better then ever

I (believe) we squat rather similarly, as I have also become more upright. I wonder if my lack of prehab is to blame, and tight (whatever) is ultimately causing pulling on my patella? I just started actively releasing things on the backside before pulling today so we will see over the coming weeks. My knees were shot after last squat session. Like they get sore after for days.

 

[SweetLou321]

I (believe) we squat rather similarly, as I have also become more upright. I wonder if my lack of prehab is to blame, and tight (whatever) is ultimately causing pulling on my patella? I just started actively releasing things on the backside before pulling today so we will see over the coming weeks. My knees were shot after last squat session. Like they get sore after for days.

We may squat similar. I've never had patella issues tho, I had quad tendinitis for like 2 years lol. Icy hot on the sore areas under my knee sleeves was also a huge help for me.

 

[SweetLou321]

2/8
Squat
350x10 @8
325x5 60s 5 @9
300x6 60s 6 @9
Uni sldl
12kgx10x3 @7
Front squat beltless holds
315x15sx2 @6-7
Plank
30s @7
Cardio:
Notes: squatted in the oly shoes a little closer stance and was burying my squats. Felt pretty good. Had good core control and was able drive into the bar. Those squats yet again sucked and put me on the ground. But better then last weeks performance. Full steam ahead.

 

[rob112]

Okay, you're getting better at repping out lol you got me

 

[SweetLou321]

Okay, you're getting better at repping out lol you got me

Lol, I'm so sore from it tho it sucks.

 

[SweetLou321]

2/10
Pause bench
260x10 @9
240x5 60s 5 @8
225x7 60s 6 @8
Low incline db press paused
55x10x3 @7,8,8
Underhand pulldowns-pushdowns
115-50x10-10,10-10,10-10,10-13 @7-7,7-7,8-8,9-10
Flat flys-rear delt raises
20-15x15-15,15-15,15-15,5-5 @7-7,8-8,8-8,6-6
Notes:
Although I didn't feel strong from dieting and it felt heavy, another session crushed in the books. Hit everything I planned. Left pec was barking at me a touch. I may swap the incline db for oh db to take just a little pressure off it. See how it feels going into Monday. If still kinda barking I'll swap it to save the cumulative fatigue.

 

[rob112]

Are you dieting down to a certain weight or just a BF% type deal?

 

[SweetLou321]

Are you dieting down to a certain weight or just a BF% type deal?

Neither, just alternating phases of dieting to get some bf off. I wanted to lose about 10-15lbs, at I'm at 10lbs now. I will start to reverse here soon. Gf wants to start now. I may push till 12 weeks out. But it is wearing me down. Been about 12-13 weeks of dieting now. I'm still performing which is the big thing.

 

[SweetLou321]

2/11
Conv deadlift
450x10 @10
450x3 60s 3 @10
450x3 60s 3 @10
High bar pause squat
225x10/10/8/2 @7/8/10 tech failure/0
Bss
15lbs dbsx10/10/20 @5/5/10
Abs wheel with pause
10/10/8 @8/9/10
Mobility drills in hiit fashion: 4min worth
Notes: spent. This is by far my hardest day of the week. Doing those pulls first floors me. This has to be one of the hardest sessions I've done in years period. I had to cut the last set of pulls as my hands were spent and I just couldn't get my brace going. I tried to pause pull 10% less and just didn't have it. I had to enter the void on that top set of pulls and almost hit the ground after the 10th rep. I am slowly enjoying high bar, I like that I have to use less weight, I can push the reps, and work on my technique cues for low bar for better motor patterns overall.

 

[SweetLou321]

The girl I do training for competed today. Another 9 for 9 meet. 962 total at 148 raw with wraps. That's a 62lb meet pr in about 5 months. She went 380/180/402. In about a year that is 80lbs on her squat, 45lbs on bench, and about 90lbs on her deadlift. Now I think the biggest factor is one, she works really damn hard, two she has someone else doing her programming and so even if it sucks she just does it, and three she has good ass genetics and technique at this point.

 

[SweetLou321]

Something else I feel like noting as well. It will be long just a warning.

This pertains to me and may help some of you out as well. Progress! I was reading some mental based articles from nuckols lately. He laid out a list of best ways to make progress based on research:
1) an in persona coach will trump all, as they will push you even harder and help you know when to stop or keep going. Plus technique cues on the spot.
2) a good training partner or group, preferably one stronger then you or near your strength.
3) online coach
4) a prewritten training plan

Now why am I brining this up. I always have my worst progress when I train alone or do my own programming. My best progress has come when I had a good training partner, an in person coach, or an online coach. Best progress was the in person coach, training partner second, and lastly the online coach.

So now with another meet approaching I am looking around at my options to really push my progress. I am tired of being a low level athlete. I may not have the genetics to be world level but I can be so much better then I am.

Case and point:
Example 1: first meet around 4 years ago I hit 475 squat, 275 bench, and 501 deadlift at 201. That was with a good training partner. So it took me 5 years to finally pr my raw squat without wraps. Yes in last 2 years I was hurt. But I never prd that squat when healthy either. I failed it many times when I did train raw raw.

Example 2: first geared meet was 675 squat, 450 bench, and 575 deadlift under Schwab, spun my wheels, got really now where even with better gear except benching 529, but that was a better shirt, actually strength numbers were the same. Trained under Brian again and was set to total pro as a junior, wasn't the meet I wanted but hit 785/550/635 in training leading up to it.

Example 3: using 5/3/1 pushed my raw numbers too 600 in wraps/345/585. I wasn't hitting this when I wrote my own program and I dieted into that meet for 4 months and prd just about all lifts.

So I've wasted years of progress trying to coach myself. I feel I can coach others but doesn't mean you can always coach yourself. So I have access to an in person coach. However his training philosophies don't really match my own, my ego is to big, and not all his athletes make progress. But that could just be due to work ethic honestly. But I had the same with Schwab and made the best progress I've ever made when I listened to him. So I may give it a go into the meet. We will see.

 

[liftandswim]

Couldn't hurt to try it. As long as you're not paying money.

 

[Hyde]

So you'd work with Schwab again perhaps?

That chick is stuh-rong!

Nice job on the deadlifts; I pulled that recently for a 5th Set (well 445x10 during previous meso and 465x8 last week's micro for example) and every week on pull the 5th Set absolutely takes me in deep if I wanna accomplish anything on it. It's brutal.

Also, how is your bench so good and your incline so...not??

 

[SweetLou321]

Couldn't hurt to try it. As long as you're not paying money.

He would charge of course, which holds me back from it.

 

[SweetLou321]

So you'd work with Schwab again perhaps?

That chick is stuh-rong!

Nice job on the deadlifts; I pulled that recently for a 5th Set (well 445x10 during previous meso and 465x8 last week's micro for example) and every week on pull the 5th Set absolutely takes me in deep if I wanna accomplish anything on it. It's brutal.

Also, how is your bench so good and your incline so...not??

I think Schwab is great. But he never charged me, but being distance I'd most likely have to pay. So prob not.

Yeah she is a trip. Crazy work ethic too.

Lol yeah, my sumo is better at repping but conv keeps me healthy. So I pull conv. I am better at sumo but my body isn't 100% to take it. Awesome sets dude! To bad for some of us, myself included rep outs don't tell me about my top end, on any lift.

Lol! I've always sucked at shoulder and pec exercises strength wise. I am a tricep bencher through and through.

 

[liftandswim]

Then meh. Depends how important this lifting stuff is to you. Could you use (or save) that money and improve your life in other ways that are more important to you? If the answer is yes, then think twice about the coaching. If the answer is no, hop on the team.

 

[SweetLou321]

Then meh. Depends how important this lifting stuff is to you. Could you use (or save) that money and improve your life in other ways that are more important to you? If the answer is yes, then think twice about the coaching. If the answer is no, hop on the team.

Extremely valid points. I have the income. I don't have much else to spend it on besides a nice weekend with the gf, which honestly is probably a better option. To good call.

I was considering Josh again bc I had a good meet last time and was healthy after working with him. But it's clear how to repeat that on my own. So I may just spend it on my girl. Getting stronger is a priority and a passion but again, you are right lol.

 

[Hyde]

Lifting > girls. They'll be there regardless, if they're truly into you.

 

[liftandswim]

Lifting > girls. They'll be there regardless, if they're truly into you.

I know you're being tongue and cheek, but just saying maybe the money he'd spend on that weekend would also be enjoyable for him. It's not like he said I'm going to go out and buy her some jewelry lol

 

[SweetLou321]

Lifting > girls. They'll be there regardless, if they're truly into you.

My gf encouraged me to hire Josh again, see is also a powerlifter and we will be doing the meet together. So this is not the issue at all.

 

[SweetLou321]

I know you're being tongue and cheek, but just saying maybe the money he'd spend on that weekend would also be enjoyable for him. It's not like he said I'm going to go out and buy her some jewelry lol

This. Plus I'm cheap so I'd rather save if anything. Ice cream is the only thing I spend on freely.

 

[Hyde]

I know you're being tongue and cheek, but just saying maybe the money he'd spend on that weekend would also be enjoyable for him. It's not like he said I'm going to go out and buy her some jewelry lol

It certainly would. Life is too short not to pursue travel and life experiences when you can. But I spend way more days/year focused on my lifting efforts, which overall gives more satisfaction to me than a single weekend, so if it was one or the other I would pick lifting.

But in reality I'd just do both lol

Also, I've been getting hit on a lot lately so I was probably feeling myself some when I mentioned there's plenty of fish.

 

[SweetLou321]

2/13
T3 raise (60s)
5x10x3 @6
Cg bench 3 count pause
205x5/6 @7/9
Rear delt raises (120s)
15x15x5 @7/7/8/8/9
Oh db press (120s)
60x10x3 @7/8/9
Neutral grip pull-ups (90s)
Bwx5/5/4/3/3 @7/8/8/8/8
Cardio: 20min on bike
Notes: jacked up my lumbar deadlifting on sat, not worried will recover fine. Pec wasn't to happy so backed off a touch to really work on getting healthy before meet prep starts. No lift off so picked a bench variation that I could lift off on my own, liked it. Feeling good upper body wise after this.

 

[liftandswim]

No lift off so picked a bench variation that I could lift off on my own, liked it. .

Ive gotten way better at self lift off. My 365 the other day was a self lift off

 

[Hyde]

Ive gotten way better at self lift off. My 365 the other day was a self lift off

It can definitely be trained. I do everything that isn't an AMRAP or ME attempt self lift-off. But I'd also wager you would get 10 more if you took a handoff. 365 is no joke btw!

 

[SweetLou321]

Ive gotten way better at self lift off. My 365 the other day was a self lift off

I can self lift off up to 295 comfortably, but it does irritate my bad shoulder, so I try to avoid it after 275. But I figured this would work my pressing muscles hard and save my bad shoulder/lat.

 

[Hyde]

I can self lift off up to 295 comfortably, but it does irritate my bad shoulder, so I try to avoid it after 275. But I figured this would work my pressing muscles hard and save my bad shoulder/lat.

Whenever my bicep tendinitis flares (which it hasn't in forever, knock on wood), self-liftoffs become almost impossible. So I can relate.

 

[rob112]

You guys bring up great points...lately my bicep has been flaring up, and I also haven't had steady gym partners giving lift offs. Now I wonder if that is part of it.

And Lou, just by the wife like a new laptop or something. No biggie lol

 

[liftandswim]

2 things give me bicep tendinitis:

1. Squatting low bar for more than a few weeks in a row.
2. Benching wider than pinkies on the rings.

Fairly easy to avoid.

 

[SweetLou321]

You guys bring up great points...lately my bicep has been flaring up, and I also haven't had steady gym partners giving lift offs. Now I wonder if that is part of it.

And Lou, just by the wife like a new laptop or something. No biggie lol

Lol gf not wife, I'm not at that point. I'm planning a nice weekend away from all the stress for her bday. I may still hire Josh anyways but I will not do that at the expense of other things.

 

[SweetLou321]

2 things give me bicep tendinitis:

1. Squatting low bar for more than a few weeks in a row.
2. Benching wider than pinkies on the rings.

Fairly easy to avoid.

I'm happy I don't have this problem wi h everything I do have.

 

[rob112]

2 things give me bicep tendinitis:

1. Squatting low bar for more than a few weeks in a row.
2. Benching wider than pinkies on the rings.

Fairly easy to avoid.

Interesting. I always would think wider would be more forgiving due to less rotation. Have not contemplated this.

 

[Hyde]

2 things give me bicep tendinitis:

1. Squatting low bar for more than a few weeks in a row.
2. Benching wider than pinkies on the rings.

Fairly easy to avoid.

Yeah there's a reason I haven't had it in a while lol. Benching against bands is the worst, after squatting low bar. I haven't decided if I will run a banded speed wave this peaking block or not yet.

 

[SweetLou321]

Yeah there's a reason I haven't had it in a while lol. Benching against bands is the worst, after squatting low bar. I haven't decided if I will run a banded speed wave this peaking block or not yet.

Based on this post I'd skip it.

 

[SweetLou321]

2/15
Squat
375x8 @10
350x4 60s 4 @9
325x5 60s 5 @9
High bar breathing paused squats
135x10 deep breathsx3 @6-7
Uni sldl
12kgx12x3 @6
Triple folded micro band around knees static glute bridge
50sx3 @7/8/9
Notes: back held up. These squats once again ****ed me up. But I'm starting to become addicted to feeling like I'm dying during these sets. Biggest mental challenge for me. Then I got the breathing pauses squats from Greg and liked them. Will add weight each week as it permits. Then rehab work.

Side note I want to be an upper body bro but sadly I have to make sure the rehab happens for me to squat and pull at my best. One day.