Unilateral 45-Degree Leg Press 135 x 15r x 3 / x 9l x 2
Notes: Motherfucking PR. Just under double bodyweight totally unequipped paused back squat went smoothly and quickly. Had to fight with the rep that was a little over double bodyweight, but got it. Blew my shorts out on that rep and my shoulder still hurts. So no other work done to day except low volume, relatively light squats. But stoked as hell.
365 paused, beltless, wrapless back squat @ 188
380 paused, beltless, wrapless back squat @ 188 PR
In an amusing twist I am going supplementing my squat and deadlift work with some form of leg press on every day that I squat and deadlift.
On the Heavy Squat Day (with belt, wraps, and heavy partials), I will be doing bilateral, high volume leg press with squat shoes with a squat stance.
On the Light Squat Day (just unequipped paused back squat), I will be doing unilateral work with focus on the lagging right leg.
On Pull Day (deadlifts and/or GHR), I will be doing flat shoe close/deadlift stance partials to mimic the deadlift start off the floor.
I will be doing some form of leg press more often than I do some form of squat or deadlift. Ha!
My long femurs and short torso combination makes the squat not as productive for me as for more squat-favored lifters. But the leg press seems to be doing wonders for my quad size and in turn my squat progress. I am making the fastest progress of my life since I added the leg press.
Also, I think I have no choice but to add direct calf work in the form of the donkey calf raise. I have to get my calves up to par now that my quads are expanding. I'm still not entirely sure one can truly increase the size of one's calves much through isolation training, but I've gotten amazing results by expanding my lower body training protocol already, so I'm willing it to give this a go. I won't cost me much effort and maybe I can get an extra inch on my calves.
Aaaaaand I just realized that these foot extensions are best done in...the leg press! Hips are already at the correct angle to target the gastrocnemius. So I will be tacking this work on after each leg press session on squat day so they get hit twice a week with three or four days rest in between.
Thursday, September 28, 2017
I think it's funny that people consider knee wraps a cheat in the squat...and then squat low bar.
Lowering the bar on my back adds twice as many pounds to my squat as the wraps do. But with wraps at least my squat still looks like a squat and not a good morning.
My low bar is 30 to 50 lbs higher than my high bar. My wraps asd 10 to 20 lbs to my high bar depending on how tightly I wrap. But low bar bastardizes the movement, too. The high bar with wraps is far and away the purer squat than the low bar without wraps
186.3 lbs this morning. 185.3 after coffee effect.
I love that my body weight is barely climbing as my squat takes huge leaps each week.
I think adding the supra-maximal partials and high rep leg presses are really boosting progress beyond anything I've seen before.
The partials are making me comfortable with very heavy weights. The extra high volune the leg press lets me get volume after I can't squat anymore is adding more quad mass for me to exploit.
Of course, this squat progress is probably coming at the expense of my bench progress, but I am okay with that right now. I'm starting to think I could get 1100-1200 total for squat and dead without bench.
Back Squat [paused first rep till 345; belt at 365, wraps at 405]
45 x 6 x 3
135 x 6
225 x 3
275 x 2
315 x 2
345 x 2
365 x 2
385 x 1
395 x 1
405 x 1
420 x 2 x 2
Long Pause Back Squat [no belt] 315 x 1 x 3
Deadstop Quarter Squat to Pins position 8 [belt] 525 x 5
45-Degree Leg Press 455 x 13
Notes: Great session. My glute didn't give a hint of complaint and I was able to be smart about how much volume I did. I just did the one set of quarter squats and really felt my distal quads working. I just did one all out set of leg press because I had to get going, but that's fine. I'm very happy that I worked up to the doubles with 420. It was with belt and wraps, but that's fine. I am still getting very close to a double bodyweight paused back squat. Just 40 lbs away. After all that pain and fretting, I got in some really good work. Weighed just a bit over 187 when I got home.
345 paused + 1
420 x 2 second set
Gluteal origin is a little achy when I first wake up, but once I get a hot shower and start moving around, it feels fine.
Meanwhile, my shoulder feels right fucked. Lifting it so my arm is perpendicular to my torso causes pain. I can probably still push and pull vertically, but I have to back off supine pushing for sure. Damn shame because that's one of the events in the full meet. But if I'm not careful with this shoulder, it will affect my ability to hold the bar in the squat. And then I'd be really pissed.
I'm not planning on really pushing the bench this time around anyway. I'd rather overhead press and chin up with decent weights. I can devote my energies to squatting and deadlifting.
So I'm (yet again) scrapping my plan so I can squat twice and pull once per week while adding the press and chin after I'm done squatting or pulling.
Wed - Squat heavy
Sat --- Squat light
Sun -- Deadlift or Glute-Ham Raise
Wed - Squat Heavy
Back Squat, belt and wraps on work set
Deadstop Quarter Squat from Pins (belt of course)
45-Degree Leg Press (with squat shoes)
Pull Up (as much to decompress back as to get stronger)
Sat - Squat Light
Paused Back Squat, no belt or wraps
Leg Extension
Single-Leg Work (maybe)
Standing Barbell Press (for volume)
Sun - Pull Heavy
Weighted Chin Up
Deadlift or Glute-Ham Raise
Although today I wonder if I shouldn't just start with paused back squats today. Or I could just lower the weight and try to get a little volume. No need to strive for new local maximum when I'm recovering from a butt pull. Maybe like 345 for a couple sets of five or six, or 315 for a few sets of eight (if I can).
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
Tuesday! And I will continue to rest. On Thursday I'll ease back in with a Pull Day [Weighted Chin, GHR, and DB Row], then Press Day [Standing Press, Close Grip Bench, Lateral Raise] on Saturday, and finally Stand Day [Back Squat, Leg Press] on Sunday, at which point I really hope my hip is fully healed. My shoulder already feels about 95% better.
Last week I bottomed out at 185 lbs and since then I've been back on the upswing. I was waking up at 187 for a few days and today I woke up at 188. I'm shooting for a solid pound per week till the meet. I should easily come in tight and strong and under 198.
Quarter Squatting for Vertical
I've read a lot of stuff (I'll provide all the links in the footnotes to this space eventually) that has me wanting to quarter squat heavy. There is still plenty of resistance to the idea that quarter squats have any value at all, much less value the specific result for which I'm looking: increased vertical jump height and decreased sprint times. But I'm willing to experiment on myself for this.
It's just a few weeks of adding these supra-maximal partials. At the very least, these will make me more comfortable with handling bigger weights and maybe strengthen my connective tissue and make it more resilient for full squatting. I'm doing these off pins and from a dead stop at the start of every rep. I will not be trying to reverse direction with these kinds of loads!
I've increased my squat a lot in the past few years and my vertical remains around 24". I got it up to 28"-30" back around 2008-2010 when I trained very specifically for it with accommodating resistance. But the full squat on its own isn't the key. My upper thighs are about 24.5" around right now (left is still slightly bigger than right, but much better than the 23"/19" split from years ago) and my vertical is hovering around 24". I'll use a "switching" speed/power phase after the meet to see how much higher I can jump after increasing my quarter squat 100 lbs.
Deadlift Highlights and Goals
I was looking over my records. My best ever conventional deadlift performance was 500 x 2 with no belt back on October 30, 2016 when weighed ~195 lbs.
I did get 495 x 2 at only 189 no belt the next year, Aprl 23, 2017.
And recently --September 23, 2017-- I got back up to 495 x 2 at only 185, but I very much needed a belt for that on that particular day because my lower back was very, very tired.
The last two at 189 and 185 are comparable. I got the same weight for a double both times, but I needed that belt to do it at 185. Still, the belt generally gives me only 10 lbs on my conventional deadlift.
The next time I deadlift, I will probably weigh 190 lbs. I absolutely must set an all-time personal record on that day with at least 515 for a double. Frankly, I really want 535 x 2 with a belt.
Shoulder Impingement
My gluteal pull is getting better and the pain is subsiding. But my shoulder pain remains pretty bad. I initially thought maybe I dinged it with the bench press, but I'm now thinking that it was those couple sets of lateral raises that caused the problem. Thing is I can overhead press just fine, but I did something wrong with those laterals. It's lifting my arms out to the side tht is causing me pain now.
Sunday, September 24, 2017
Right shoulder still hurts. I'm starting to think I should abandon the competition width bench press. It's that specific pressing in the transverse plane that hurts. Overhead pressing and dips seem to be okay. I imagine close grip press will be good too.
I'm taking a few days off to give my beaten up body a chance to recover. When I go back, I am going to try very hard to stick to the Tu-Th-Sa-Su schedule with three routines so that each routine has a week where it is done twice, like so:
Push
Stand
Pull
Push
Stand
Pull
Push
Stand
Pull
Push
Stand
Pull
This gives me about ten times with each routine before the meet (eight weeks away). That, however, is only five deadlift sessions (since the deadlift is only done every other Pull Day in place of the GHR) so I'm going to have to add 20 lbs per deadlift session in order to get to 600. I'm not sure that's really possible. but that's my goal and I have often surprised myself with how far I get when things are properly aligned.
Ten pounds per session on the squat is not too much to ask, at least for four to six weeks. Heck, it's actually closer to 15 lbs per week at the start of a cycle. And with my shoulder feeling so wonky, I won't be worrying about bench so much and can pour my resources into the squat and deadlift.
As far as session content, my Stand Day will be the back squat and it will be supplemented by leg presses (for mass) up until two weeks out. I am thinking I should probably leave the quarter squat out of the mix because it is just too taxing (like a deadlift). I really would like to see if these translate to a higher vertical, though. Maybe I'll add it on the weeks I don't deadlift. Maybe not. But the bread and butter will be the back squat (belt+wraps, belt-only, no belt or wraps, paused with no belt or wraps) plus the leg press. I should probably focus on the belt-only back squat and the paused back squat with no belt.
Stand Day: Back Squat, Leg Press
Push day will be a craps shoot, but I really want to keep the standing press now that my supine pressing feels so unstable. Pull day will alternate heavy chin ups and dumbbell rows and alternate GHR with conventional deadlifts.
Push Day: Standing Pres, Dip (Close Grip Bench Press when my shoulder can handle it again)
Pull Day A: Weighted Chin Up, Conventional Deadlift Pull Day B: Dumbbell Row, Glute-Ham Raise
One should always have a few unreasonable goals. Mine for this meet are 495 paused back squat and 545 belt and wraps squat and 600+ conventional deadlift with a belt at 195. I don't much care about the bench right now, but I would like to overhead press over 200 lbs finally. Weighed 187 this morning and have been there throughout the day.
Notes: My right shoulder was hurt and it made me feel very unstable, so I aborted the bench today. I really can't think of how I hurt it. The heavy deadlifts and the supra-heavy quarter squats caught up with me and I tweaked my left glute near the top. So I had to abandon squats. The standing press was the only thing that felt remotely comfortable and even then I was unable to do another work set because my glute just wouldn't allow me to load it. Looks like I will have to take a deload week. This was bound to happen. Eight weeks to the meet so I have time to recover and start again.
Thursday, September 21, 2017
Lateral Raise with 15-lb KB x 15 x 2 each side
Notes: Played around with lateral raises today. I like these. Will do them tomorrow on Push Day. I'm really learning a lot about the place of assistance movements based on body structure and the place of isolation in a routine as well.
Back Squat [belt at 385, wraps at 405] @ 185 in a.m.
45 x 6 x 3
135 x 6
225 x 4
275 x 2
315 x 1
345 x 1
365 x 1 x 2
385 x 1
405 x 1 x 2
Deadstop Quarter Squat from Pins, position 8 [belt]
455 x 3 x 2
485 x 3
505 x 3
45-Degree Leg Press [with squat shoes] 405 x 15 x 2
Notes: I managed 365 with no belt or wraps for two good singles today as a warm up, which marks decent progress over the last few weeks. I was barely able to squat 315 no-no-no when I first came back a few weeks ago; I hit 315 just once on Aug 28, just under a month ago. Then I finally got 405 on my back again, though it was with belt and wraps. The first single was good, second not so much and I have it recorded below. Quarter squats were amazingly hard, but they got easier with each set as my nervous system got accustomed to the supra-loading. These wiped me out more than I realized and when I tried to hit paused squats as a back off, I got completely buried with 315.
But then I was able to get more volume with leg press. I hate that people don't appreciate how the leg press can supplement squats. When the torso muscles can't bear the weight anymore, the leg press is there to let the hip and knee extensors get a lot more volume. I got a total of 30 working reps with comparable weight (405 on the 45-degree leg press is roughly 275 vertically). I have done loads of volume programs with the squat and my legs clearly get even more when I add the leg press to keep getting more volume when I can't squat anymore because my torso or lower back is fried.
Pulldown warmup 100 x 10
Chin Up [@185 + 45] x 6 x 3 [RPE 10]
Conventional Deadlift [belt at 475]
315 x 5
365 x 4
405 x 2
445 x 1
475 x 1
485 x 1 [RPE 8.5]
495 x 2 [RPE 10]
Stiff-Leg Pull 315 x 10
High Machine Row 50 x 20
Notes: Decent deadlift day. Best ever was 510 @ 188 no belt. Today was 495 x 2 @ 185 with a belt. So maybe 15 or 20 lbs away at three pounds lighter. Right on track. Chin uo difficulty on last set was a shock. Thought I'd get another set.
Notes: I lost about five pounds of water due to skipping a couple meals a few days ago and depleting my glycogen stores. Plus I took a couple of extra rest days. So today I wasn't expecting much; I just wanted to get under the bar again so I would get the feel back for bench and squat. Strength is exactly where it was before the glycogen/water cut.
Also I just got back my squat shoes after having the cobbler add another inch to the heel. Definitely easier to keep the back angle now. I kept the volume very low as this was just a quick exposure to squats just so I'd be ready for a proper squat session in a few days. Sadly, my back rounded on the rep with 335. Too tired at too near my max.
I was planning to do another couple of paused squat singles after doing the plank, but I held the plank so long that I got sever Charlie horses in my abs for minutes afterward. Any time I flexed my spine, my abs painfully locked up. So I had to abandon any further squatting. Great that I can hold a plank that long, though.
Bench Press
45 x 12 x 3
135 x 6
185 x 3
225 x 1
245 x 1
255 x 5 Paused Back Squat [no belt, no wraps]
45 x 6 x 2
135 x 6
225 x 3
315 x 1
325 x 1
335 x 1
Seated Arnold Press 50-lb DB x 7
Notes: Mixed it up today. It was technically supposed to be a rest day, but I felt full of energy. Bench is about where it should be; paused squat was a pleasant surprise with a 20-lb increase over anything I've handled in a while. I also made the big boy jump from 225 to 315 during the ramp up. This does wonders for my confidence, which was really the point today. I wanted to get comfortable with 315 so it stops feeling so goddamned heavy all the time and psyching me out. I was very tempted to go up one more time to 345, but I promised today would be an easy squat day.
Chin Up
[@190 + 0] x 3 x 3
[@190 +90] x 3
[@190 +55] x 6 x 2
Glute-Ham Raise @ 190 lbs x 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1 Lingenfelder DB Row 120-lb DB x 12 each side Seated Machine Row 150 x 9
Notes: Decent back day. I got six reps with 75 lbs last time on the chin up, and I was hoping that I could get five with 90, but that was not to be. I would have thought at least four was realistic. Still, I can't remember a time I've gotten reps with 90 lbs attached, especially not while weighing this much. So it's likely a personal record.
The GHRs were done between sets of chins and rows. This is the most volume I've gotten on these. I like doing them on pull/row day instead of squat day. Maybe when I'm strong enough to do proper sets of these, I'll move them back to squat day. Maybe not. Either way, by the time November rolls around, I should be doing sets of these with multiple reps.
Today is the day of the meet in the Sac area. I'm not unhappy that I didn't go. I wasn't near ready. To make up for it, I need to come in big at the November meet. If I'm not squatting over 4 plates a side for reps by early October, I'll be very worried.
Back Squat [belt at 335, wraps at 355]
45 x 12 x 2
135 x 6 x 2
225 x 3
275 x 2
315 x 1
335 x 1
355 x 1
365 x 3 x 2
Paused Back Squat [no belt, no wraps] 315 x 1 x 3 Quarter Back Squat to Pins [no belt, no wraps] 315 x 12
Notes: I woke up at 189 and have been returning to that weight all day. My back was feeling absolutely fried still from deadlifting a few days ago. So I gave in put on the belt and then the wraps. The belt really let me push way further today than I could have without it. This has been instructive. Instead of dogmatism ("never use a belt!"), I should be pragmatic. Like I wrote years ago, a belt lets the legs work harder.
I really like the complex I used today. Ramp up without any equipment...Add belt for another ramp up or two, then add wraps for the work sets...Then back off with paused squats without any equipment. As long as the ramp up is done without equipment and the belt is only used for maximal sets, then the belt is much less likely to become a crutch.
So I figure as long as I just do a set of these quickly at the end of my session, there will be very little chance that any passersby will think that quarter squats are ALL I do.
It's weird. No powerlifter I have asked has ever been interested in how far they could jump or how fast they could run. I have always wanted to be strong AND powerful AND fast. That's why I take lower body training advice from weightlifting and not from powerlifting. Weightlifters squat a ton and still train to be flexible and fast.
Here is footage of my second and last triple with 365. My smartphone was very close to dying so I rushed the setup and the shot is skewed to the right.
09.06.2017 Back Squat [no belt]
45 x 12
135 x 6
225 x 3
275 x 1
315 x 1
325 x 2 [RPE 7]
275 x 4
45-Degree Leg Press 495 x 4, 405 x 10 x 2
Notes: I could have tripled with 325, but I wanted to save my energy to try either higher weight or back off and get volume. Walking out with 335, I knew I didn't have it in me. And then I was too tired to get any volume with just 275. I should have just done one triple with 325. My last regular back squat was nine days ago and I struggled with 330 for a single. So Now I can just about triple my max from nine days ago...which is fine, but I really want to start seeing some faster results as I seek to reclaim lost ground.
I tried squatting with feet together last night and during the warm up today. Felt like I regained some mobility by doing this, but I also think I made something in my left knee angry. Right in front of the patellar hurts. It affected my squatting.
09.02.2017 Back Squat, Paused [no belt]
45 x 8 x 2
135 x 4
225 x 2
275 x 1
305 x 1
315 x 1
45-Degree Leg Press 455 x 6 x 2
Notes: I think I am going to alternate paused and regular squats each week for a while. Whatever I manage to pause squat one week I should be able to regular squat for reps the next week. I'm not getting any volume these days because I'm so fixated on getting past a certain milestone weight each session; this leaves me too burned out to get any volume.
