A beginning. Goal is #2.5... Lets go! (Part 1. )

[Luke Otting]

Hi everyone!

Freshman in college, have wanted to participate in the Iron game for a long time. Have an impromptu home gym (300lb of weight, 2" pipe barbell, dip station, rafters, grippers.) I want to mainly focus on grip strength, military pressing, front lever, dips, and human flag. I have lifted for several years, but I have never taken progression seriously; as a result, I am still a beginner.

Starting now, I will be logging here EVERY SINGLE DAY and recording every single exercise I do.  The workout routine I post below will be the routine I will run for the next 3 months. Try to keep me on the strait path!

 

[Luke Otting]

A:

Dips 5X5

Barbell Curls 5X5

Upright Rows 3X10

Bent Over Rows 3X10

Gripper 6X3-15

 

B:

Deadlift Variation 3X6

Hack Squats 3X6

Military Press 6X2

Chin Ups 5X5

Optional Neck, Tricep, Forearm, ab, or Sandbag work.

 

1 mile sprint on off days...

 

[Luke Otting]

11/28/16

Max Lifts:

Military Press: 160lb.

Dip: 60lb.

Chin Up: 60+lb.

Curl: 120lb.

Deadlift: 365lb.

Squat: 265+lb.

Bent Over Row: 150lb.

Gripper: #1.5 X6+

[Luke Otting]

11/28/16

Gripper #1.5 7X3

[Chez]

Good luck in reaching your goal. I'm a gripper guy myself. The log will definitely keep you accountable and motivated.

[jvance]

Get er done... remember good sleep and good nutrition will help you improve and keep injuries away. You sound about where i was when i started by the way...

[Paul Markowski]

My advice....don't over train (especially your hands)...injuries and over training are the bane of any true grip monster!  I know this because I did over train grip years back....I was lucky and was never injured but I made NO progress for a looooong while.

[Luke Otting]

 I really am prone to over-training myself, especially my hands. :/ Guilty as charged.

Didn't get a sprint in. Got home from work late. Was dark, so I did an easy workout.

Upright Rows 3X10 85lb.

Thick bar Curl 5X5 85lb.

[Luke Otting]

Wasn't able to workout. Unexpected complications. My wrist was also bugging me. :/

[patrickmeniru]

Good luck with your log, feel free to hit me up if your progress with the human flag stalls out. Also wasn't sure if you meant improving your flag holds and front levers or learning to do them, if you already can do front levers then I'd be interested to hear about how you worked up to them as I've been stuck at the same level for a long time.

[Luke Otting]

14 hours ago, patrickmeniru said:

Good luck with your log, feel free to hit me up if your progress with the human flag stalls out. Also wasn't sure if you meant improving your flag holds and front levers or learning to do them, if you already can do front levers then I'd be interested to hear about how you worked up to them as I've been stuck at the same level for a long time.

I am working towards that goal. Honestly, I think it will be tough. I am 6'5" and have really long legs and arms. It might take a couple of years, but it will be worth it. Do you have any tips on working towards a human flag?

 

 

Anyway, I have been very busy with finals coming up + my job. I haven't been able to get a proper workout in. Will have an abnormally long workout session tomorrow. Tonight, however, time to train my grip.

CoC 1.5 5X5

[Luke Otting]

On 11/29/2016 at 3:56 PM, Paul Markowski said:

My advice....don't over train (especially your hands)...injuries and over training are the bane of any true grip monster!  I know this because I did over train grip years back....I was lucky and was never injured but I made NO progress for a looooong while.

 

On 11/29/2016 at 3:52 PM, jvance said:

Get er done... remember good sleep and good nutrition will help you improve and keep injuries away. You sound about where i was when i started by the way...

Thanks for the tips! It really helps when you have people following your tread. Makes you feel accountable.

[patrickmeniru]

Best advice I can give for human flag progress:

1 - work weighted chin/pull-ups. These will improve grip, forearm strength and lats, which are all important for the top arm in the flag (the one that pulls like crazy to keep you horizontal). They are also very measurable, so it's easy to see your progress with weight on the belt.

2 - work front lever progressions - especially scapular pull-ups type movements, where you practice engaging the lats with straight arms - sounds like you'll be doing this anyway as the FL is a goal.

3 - work on your handstand - this sounds weird but trust me on this, you don't need to work on a freestanding one, against a wall is absolutely fine (and probably better initially because you'll build strength faster because you can spend more time upside down when you don't have to worry about balance). Once you get comfortable holding for sets of 30 secs to 1 min, practice shifting weight gradually from arm to arm, with the goal of being able to do a one arm handstand against the wall (I find these easier when my stomach is to the wall).  What this does is build the pressing strength and motor patterns required for the bottom arm to lock in and support you in the flag. Its important to keep the shoulders shrugged up by your ears at all times in the handstand, as this mimics what will happen in the flag - and is good handstand practice anyway.

4 - train abs and obliques - do what you like for this, but dragon flags, and sideways crunches in a GHD are two that I like for fairly intense isometric based core strength.

5 - this almost goes without saying but the leaner you are the easier bodyweight movements are, so in the long run cutting some fat will be helpful for most people (obviously not if you're already super lean and/or are prioritising other, non-bodyweight, strength goals).

The flag is a funny one, I personally didn't train any specific flag progressions, I couldn't do it for the life of me, went away and trained the stuff above like crazy for 4 or 5 months (not actually with the flag in mind) and then I could suddenly just do one on two horizontal handles. It took a little longer to get the hang of it on a pole.

Hope that helps!

Edited December 3, 2016 by patrickmeniru

[Luke Otting]

4 hours ago, patrickmeniru said:

Best advice I can give for human flag progress:

1 - work weighted chin/pull-ups. These will improve grip, forearm strength and lats, which are all important for the top arm in the flag (the one that pulls like crazy to keep you horizontal). They are also very measurable, so it's easy to see your progress with weight on the belt.

2 - work front lever progressions - especially scapular pull-ups type movements, where you practice engaging the lats with straight arms - sounds like you'll be doing this anyway as the FL is a goal.

3 - work on your handstand - this sounds weird but trust me on this, you don't need to work on a freestanding one, against a wall is absolutely fine (and probably better initially because you'll build strength faster because you can spend more time upside down when you don't have to worry about balance). Once you get comfortable holding for sets of 30 secs to 1 min, practice shifting weight gradually from arm to arm, with the goal of being able to do a one arm handstand against the wall (I find these easier when my stomach is to the wall).  What this does is build the pressing strength and motor patterns required for the bottom arm to lock in and support you in the flag. Its important to keep the shoulders shrugged up by your ears at all times in the handstand, as this mimics what will happen in the flag - and is good handstand practice anyway.

4 - train abs and obliques - do what you like for this, but dragon flags, and sideways crunches in a GHD are two that I like for fairly intense isometric based core strength.

5 - this almost goes without saying but the leaner you are the easier bodyweight movements are, so in the long run cutting some fat will be helpful for most people (obviously not if you're already super lean and/or are prioritising other, non-bodyweight, strength goals).

The flag is a funny one, I personally didn't train any specific flag progressions, I couldn't do it for the life of me, went away and trained the stuff above like crazy for 4 or 5 months (not actually with the flag in mind) and then I could suddenly just do one on two horizontal handles. It took a little longer to get the hang of it on a pole.

Hope that helps!

Man, thanks for this. I will start training for it soon!

 

Military Press 6X2 145lb.

Bent Over Row 3X6 145lb.

Thick Bar Deadlift 3X6 255lb.

[Luke Otting]

Negative Military Press 5X1 165lb.

Bent Over Row 3X5 140lb.

Side Laterals 4X8 20lb

Rear Raises 5X5 20lb.

COC #1.5 4X7

[Luke Otting]

Overhead Press 2X3 140lb, 2X8 100lb.

Upright Rows 2X8 100lb.

Tricep Pulldowns 2X8 45lb.

 

[Luke Otting]

BTN Overhead Press 3X8 105lb.

Bent Over Row 2X8 105lb.

Bent Over Row 2X8 35lb.

Dips 2X8

Tricep Pulldowns 2X8 50lb.

[Luke Otting]

Overhead Press 3X8 110lb.

Bent Over Row 2X8 110lb.

Dips 2X9

Tricep Pulldowns 2X12 50lb.

[Luke Otting]

Squat 2X5 185lb.

Bench 3X3 185lb.

One Arm Pulldown 3X8 145lb.

Seated Arnold Press 2X12 40lb.

Concentration Curl 2X8 30lb.

Rope Pulldown 2X12 70lb. 

 

Also just closed #2 COC just now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Supper happy. Finally seeing grip improvement.

[Luke Otting]

MRDL 3X12 90lb.

Side Laterals 3X8 15lb.

Dumbbell Press 2X5 50lb.

One Arm Pulldown 3X8 150lb.

Rear Flies Machine 3X8 110lb.

 

[Luke Otting]

Chin Up 3x5

Dips 3X7

MRDL 3X12 lvl 4

Row Machine 100 reps 3 minutes

[pburke23]

On 12/19/2016 at 2:47 PM, Luke Otting said:

Squat 2X5 185lb.

Bench 3X3 185lb.

One Arm Pulldown 3X8 145lb.

Seated Arnold Press 2X12 40lb.

Concentration Curl 2X8 30lb.

Rope Pulldown 2X12 70lb. 

 

Also just closed #2 COC just now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Supper happy. Finally seeing grip improvement.

Nice job! Get video?  

Feels good to get that close done though, eh? You have a 2.5 you're working towards now?

[Luke Otting]

On 12/28/2016 at 8:08 PM, pburke23 said:

Nice job! Get video?  

Feels good to get that close done though, eh? You have a 2.5 you're working towards now?

I wish. I was feeling really good that day, and just decided on a whim. Didn't expect it. Yes, I have a 2.5 I have been using for negatives. Really helpful.

 

OHP 1X5 155lb.

MRDL 3X8 lvl 5

Negative Grip 1X6 COC 2.5

[Luke Otting]

OHP 5X1 155lb.

Upright Row 3X12 75lb.

Chin Up 2X10

MRDL 3X12 lvl 4

[Luke Otting]

Incline Dumbbell Press 1X5 65lb. and two warm up sets

Decline Barbell Press 1X6 185lb. with two warm up sets

Deadlift 3X3 315lb.

Calf Raises 3X8 160lb.

Squat 1X2 245lb. and two warm up sets

 

 

I have a goal, and I want to stick by it the rest of the year. Day one.

Edited January 5, 2017 by Luke Otting