Donati's Log Of Steel Bending, Grip And Powerlifting

[Buccos1]

Thur (7/30)

Bench Press

(1x5) 135

(1x3) 185

(1x3) 225

(1x2) 255

(1x2) 295

Bench Press - 3-board

(1x1) 345

Bench Press - 2-board

(1x1) 345

Close-grip Bench Press - Chains

(2x3) 225

Angled Kettlebell Pushups

(2x20)

RRBT

Phase 1 -- Day 4

Bench felt pretty weak today. Almost no power on regular benches or board presses. I might still need a few more days of recovery after the meet. My hands are doing a little better with the increased gripper work.

[Buccos1]

Fri (7/31)

DO - IMPs

Yellow Nail

Yellow Nail (4.5")

Red Nail

DU - BBW

Yellow Nail

5/16 x 7" Grade 5 (easy

1/4 x 6.5" Grade 8 (pre-bent to 10 deg.)

RRBT

Phase 1 -- Day 5

My hands felt pretty good today. Definitely beat-up, but better than the past few days. I never did much volume with grippers before but am starting to like some of the volume work I am doing. Luckily, no major hand/tear issues yet! I have been wanting to bend the past few days, but didn't think it would be a good idea, as the hands were pretty beat up. But today felt OK, so I got some decent bends in. The Red was tough, but felt OK. I finished my DU with an old grade 8 I got stuck at 10 degrees with.

[GrassMaine89]

bending and RRBT...your hands must be able to stop bullets at this point...respect

[Buccos1]

bending and RRBT...your hands must be able to stop bullets at this point...respect

Thanks man!

[Buccos1]

Sat (8/1)

RRBT

Phase 1 -- Day 6

Today was easy. My hands are sore, but otherwise, feeling pretty good.

[Buccos1]

Sun (8/2)

RRBT

Phase 1 -- Day 7

My hands were hurting today. I ended up having to tape a few places throughout.

[Buccos1]

Mon (8/3)

Bench Press

(1x8) 135

(1x3) 185

(1x3) 225

(1x2) 265

(1x1) 315

Bench Press - Sling Shot (red)

(1x1) 345

(1x1) 355

Bench Press - Football Bar

(1x8) 135

(1x5) 185

(1x2) 225

Rows

(1x8) 135

(1x5) 185

(1x5) 205

Lying Dumbell Extensions

(2x7) 30

RRBT

Phase 1 -- Day 8

Today was my first time pressing with a football bar (birthday gift). It felt pretty awkward … might have been easier with a lift off too, but I think I'll get better with it the more I use it. My hands were wrecked from grippers yesterday. I'm getting a blister right in the middle of my palm. At this point, I didn't think it was possible to get any more blisters in the area I bend. But, this is a little bit upward. Getting ready to do some contrast baths!

[Buccos1]

Tue (8/4)

Shrugs

(1x5) 135

(1x5) 225

(1x5) 315

(1x5) 405

(1x3) 455

(1x3) 475

Rows

(1x8) 130

(2x5) 180

Bamboo Bar Bench Press

(1x20) 75

(1x8) 125

Football Bar Curls

(1x8) 40

(2x5) 90

(1x5) 100

Angled Kettlebell Pushups

(2x20)

RRBT

Phase 1 -- Day 9

I did some more messing around with the football bar today. Doing rows with it is a lot easier on my shoulders and wrists. It's just more difficult getting it in a good starting position. I'll probably start putting it up on mats or in the rack. My hands are dead. I tried to get a rep in with my 240N in between planned sets, and I could barely set it.

[Buccos1]

Wed (8/5)

Deadlifts

(1x5) 135

(1x3) 225

(1x2) 315

(1x1) 405

(1x1) 425

(1x1) 440

RRBT

Phase 1 -- Day 10

I have been thinking a lot about my deadlift training these past few weeks. I tried to up the frequency and variation these past few months, and did not experience any gains (actually lost some off top #). Most of my deadlift reps in training are sumo-style, with conventional mixed in during warmups. About five years ago, I ended up messing my lower back up on a grinder conventional pull, which forced me to switch to sumo.

Today, I decided to do a conventional-only, raw session. (I haven't pulled anything raw, conventional over 405 in at least 2 years?) I am tentatively planning to alternate conventional and sumo, every other week, with the hopes that pulling more heavy conventional will help my sumo and squat numbers. The 440 felt rough, but I was happy it came up without having done much conventional work.

My conventional deadlift PRs are: (raw) 500 (suit) 535

[Shoggoth]

I think the more you strengthen those "weaker style" lifts the stronger you'll be on your primary styles. Stronger is stronger.

[Buccos1]

Yeah, definitely! When I was at my strongest in squat a few years ago, I was still training conventional, just limited. But, I think all of those years of conventional-only helped me initially with sumo, and even carried over for some time. When I switched to sumo (after never having done it), it didn't take me long to hit 500. A fraction of what it did to get my first 500 conventional. My back feels fried today. I think every-other-week might work (sumo/conv./sumo/conv.) if I stagger the effort and volume, depending on how things feel.

If I end up doing a raw meet sometime soon, it'd probably be conventional-style pulls.

[Buccos1]

Thur (8/6)

Squats

(1x3) 135

(1x2) 225

(2x1) 315

(1x1) 335

add briefs

(1x1) 405

(1x1) 425

(1x1) 440

RRBT

Phase 2 -- Day 1

[GrassMaine89]

If this isn't the place to ask then I apologize...however I follow your log and was wondering what you think of RRBT? I am planning on trying it out after Jedd's CBT. Any thoughts?

[Buccos1]

The program totally makes sense to me, and I'm hoping for good results. So far, my hands are hurting, and my gripper strength has gone down. But, this is normal (from what I've read in the program and from others). It was tough for the first few days, but starting to get used to the volume. Based upon my limited time with it, I would recommend it. Things can also be tailored as needed, though, probably not at the same results.

Don't be afraid to protect your hands with tape etc. I have some funky looking blisters coming in, that could turn into a problem.

[GrassMaine89]

The program totally makes sense to me, and I'm hoping for good results. So far, my hands are hurting, and my gripper strength has gone down. But, this is normal (from what I've read in the program and from others). It was tough for the first few days, but starting to get used to the volume. Based upon my limited time with it, I would recommend it. Things can also be tailored as needed, though, probably not at the same results.

Don't be afraid to protect your hands with tape etc. I have some funky looking blisters coming in, that could turn into a problem.

thank man

[Buccos1]

No problem!

[Buccos1]

Fri (8/7)

RRBT

Phase 2 -- Day 2

My hands are shot today! A gripper I usually am able to rep about 7 times, I could barely get 1 close with (at least earlier in the day). I had to rush a little today too; tonight's the Vixen concert!!!

[Buccos1]

Sat (8/8)

Floor Press

(1x5) 135

(1x3) 185

(1x3) 225

(1x2) 250

(1x1) 275

(1x1) 295

Speed Bench Press

(1x3) 135

(1x3) 155

add chains

(4x3) 155

Rows

(1x8) 130

(1x8) 180

Lying KB Extensions

(2x8) 35

RRBT

Phase 2 -- Day 3

Hands are beat! I was going to get a bending session in today, but decided to wait 'till tomorrow, as I'll get a chance to space the gripper-work out a little more.

[Buccos1]

Sun (8/9)

DO - IMPs

Yellow Nail

5/16 x 7" Grade 2

Red Nail

DU - IMPs

Yellow Nail

1/4 x 6.5" Grade 5

DU - BBW

1/4 x 7" Grade 8

RRBT

Phase 2 -- Day 4

[Buccos1]

Mon (8/10)

Bench Press

(1x5) 135

(1x3) 185

(1x3) 225

(1x2) 255

(1x2) 285

(1x2) 315

Bench Press - Sling Shot (red)

(1x1) 345

(1x1) 355

Rows

(1x8) 130

(2x5) 200

RRBT

Phase 2 -- Day 5

[Buccos1]

Tue (8/11)

Deadlift

(1x3) 135

(1x3) 225

(1x2) 315

add suit/straps down

(1x1) 405

(1x1) 455

straps up

(1x1) 475

(1x1) 500

RRBT

Phase 2 -- Day 6

[Buccos1]

Wed (8/12)

Squats

(1x3) 135

(1x2) 225

(1x1) 315

(1x1) 340

add suit/straps down

(1x1) 405

(1x1) 440

(1x1) 460

Football Bar Curls

(1x5) 90

(1x5) 100

(1x5) 110

Football Bar Rows

(1x20) 110

RRBT

Phase 2 -- Day 7

I ended up going a little heavier raw on squats today, to see how my knees responded. Doing stuff like this reminds me why I don't go much heavier than 315 on squats without at least briefs. Both knees were hurting pretty bad during and after (no injuries though). All of today's reps were without wraps. (If I wear wraps, things seem to be OK, but I want to see what I can do without sleeves or wraps, as that is the 100% Raw/ADAU rules for squat.) I think if I take anything much over 340-350, things are going to start getting messed up. Just trying to figure things out, if I were to do a 100% Raw meet in the fall.

Bodyweight is 193 today.

[Buccos1]

Thur (8/13)

RRBT

Phase 2 -- Day 8

[Buccos1]

Fri (8/14)

RRBT

Phase 2 -- Day 9

My wife and I took a trip down to Virginia, so today was spent mostly traveling. I also had a scare with some Chinese food on the way, which I thought was going to derail the entire weekend. Luckily, it was only minor.

[Buccos1]

Sat (8/15)

Bench Press

(1x8) 135

(1x5) 185

(1x3) 225

(1x2) 245

(1x2) 275

(1x1) 295

Dumbell Press

(1x10) 100

(1x8) 100

RRBT

Phase 2 -- Day 10

I ended up finding a gym that had a decent bench, but my session today was pretty weak. Their flooring was so slick, that my feet kept slipping after I was set-up. Because of this, I decided not to go over 295 on my last set. I also got some pretty bad sunburn which was making bench miserable. Today was the last day of Phase 2, and my hands are feeling destroyed!