Donati's Log Of Steel Bending, Grip And Powerlifting

[Buccos1]

Sun (9/20)

RRBT

Phase 6 -- Day 6

[Buccos1]

Mon (9/21)

Bench Press

(1x8) 135

(1x3) 185

(1x3) 225

(1x2) 255

(1x2) 295

Wide-grip Bench Press

(2x5) 225

Speed Bench Press

(2x3) 155

(3x3) 155 - add chains

RRBT

Phase 6 -- Day 7

[Buccos1]

Tue (9/22)

Shrugs

(1x8) 135

(1x8) 225

(1x5) 315

(1x5) 405

(1x5) 475

(1x5) 525

Decline Kettlebell Pushups

(2x20)

RRBT

Phase 6 -- Day 8

Again, I got some solid close with my (123lb.) #2.5. Most of these were during my heavier sets of shrugs too … when my hands were getting beat up from the knurling. I ended up getting two sets of four, one of those almost being five-reps. The working phases of RRBT are coming to a close, and the program will have me working with the goal gripper (#3) soon. My hands are beat up pretty bad, but feel a lot better now then they did two months ago, which is pretty insane when looking back at all of the volume. I'm looking forward to finally start making some attempts on the #3!

[Buccos1]

Wed (9/23)

Deadlifts - Sumo

(1x3) 135

(1x2) 225

(1x2) 315

add suit/straps down

(1x1) 405

(1x1) 440

(1x1) 475

straps up

(1x1) 525

RRBT

Phase 6 -- Day 9

[Buccos1]

Thur (9/24)

Floor Press (paused)

(1x5) 135

(1x3) 185

(1x3) 225

(1x2) 250

(1x2) 275

Wide-grip Bench Press (paused)

(1x5) 135

(1x5) 185

(1x5) 225

(1x3) 250

Barbell Rows

(1x8) 135

(1x5) 185

(1x5) 205

Football Bar Curls

(2x5) 90

RRBT

Phase 6 -- Day 10

I actually had a full-hour to workout today! So, I was able to get some extra stuff in. Today marked the last day of Phase 6 … 60 straight days of grippers! Never thought I'd be able to get through it, especially after that first week. But I am looking forward to working with some harder grippers coming up, including two of my #3s.

[Buccos1]

Yesterday was the first day of attempts on heavier grippers in RRBT. I made a bunch of attempts at my easier #3 and missed all of them, but several were close. After these attempts, I ended up closing my RB 280N (133lb.) gripper, which was a PR. I know the camera work sucks, but I will likely have someone filming my attempts at the #3 soon.

One of my attempts at the #3

[Buccos1]

Fri (9/25)

Squats

(1x3) 135

(1x2) 225

(1x1) 315

(1x1) 335

(1x1) 365

(1x1) 390

RRBT

Phase 7 -- Day 1

Squats felt OK today. 390 is the most raw I've done in a long time. The depth probably wouldn't have passed in a meet, but it was close. Grippers were solid today! I came within about 3mm from closing my easy #3.

[Buccos1]

Sat (9/26)

DO - IMPs

Yellow Nail

5/16 x 7" Grade 2
Red Nail

DU - IMPs

Yellow Nail

¼ x 7" Grade 5

DU - BBW

¼ x 7" Grade 8

Horseshoes - 1.25" Suede

Diamond Bronco PL1 - 45 deg.

DC0

RRBT

Phase 7 -- Day 2

I ended up doing a "medley" where I bent the Red, ¼ Grade 8 and then the horseshoe in succession. Doing this is always fun, but a test. I originally thought the shoe I wrapped up was a DC0, but it was one of my mutant PL1s. I've been hit-or-miss with these shoes during the best of days with my shoe bending, and I haven't touched a shoe in months. When I hit that thing the first time, I was wondering, "What the …?" I got it to about 45 degrees in just about 2 minutes, and then, exhausted, switched it out for a DC0, which I bent relatively easy.

[Buccos1]

Sun (9/27)

Axle Bench Press

(1x8) 125

(1x3) 175

(1x3) 215

(1x2) 250

(1x2) 285

(1x1) 305

Decline Kettlebell Pushups

(2x20)

RRBT

Phase 7 -- Day 3

Gripper closes today were pretty bad. As great as the other day was with my #3 attempts, today was the complete opposite. I made some all-out attempts on the 3 and came pretty close, but today, it wasn't even close. I don't know if I was destroyed from the other day's attempts, if it was from bending yesterday, or a combination of the two.

[Buccos1]

I had a couple of weak gripper workouts lately, but today was solid. I have been making attempts at my easy #3 this past week (which has been killing me lately) but went with my brand new CPW-rated 136lb. #2.5. instead. This is a 3lb. PR!! And it was done in my first session without heavy squat/DL, which is normally my worst attempts.

[Buccos1]

Mon (9/28)

RRBT

Phase 7 -- Day 4

[Buccos1]

Tue (9/29)

Shrugs

(1x8) 135

(1x8) 225

(1x8) 315

(1x5) 405

(1x5) 495

(1x2) 545

Giant Set:

Pull-ups (1x5)

Dips (1x10)

Decline KB Pushup (1x10)

RRBT

Phase 7 -- Day 5

I missed all of my attempts at the #3, but not as bad as the other day. Seems like my hands were trashed after the first round. On my last warmup, I closed my 131lb. #2.5, which was my max not-to-long-ago.

[Buccos1]

Wed (9/30)

Deadlifts

(1x3) 135

(1x2) 225

(1x2) 315

(1x1) 405

(1x1) 425

(1x1) 455

RRBT

Phase 7 -- Day 6

[Buccos1]

Thur (10/1)

Wide-grip Bench Press

(1x5) 135

(1x3) 185

(1x3) 225

(1x3) 250

(1x2) 275

Shrugs

(1x5) 225

(1x5) 315

(1x5) 405

(1x5) 455

Decline Kettlebell Pushups

(1x25)

(1x20)

RRBT

Phase 7 -- Day 7

I switched from my (139lb.) #3 to my (136lb.) #2.5 for today's closes. The 136lb. gripper is brand new and rated from CPW. I got my first attempt, and missed the remaining by a few mms on each. I filmed the attempt and the set was a little wider than parallel (the filming is poor but was with my phone and propped up on something). Zooming in on a frame-by-frame, I was able to get a close-up right before the close attempt.

This is a huge PR for me and a direct result of RRBT. I have no doubt about that, as I was hit-or-miss with my 131lb.-rated grippers before starting the program. I did get a solid close on my 132lb. Super Master before RRBT, but seeing that my status right now is not 100% and I closed a gripper 4 lbs. over my previous best is exciting.

[Buccos1]

Fri (10/2)

RRBT

Phase 7 -- Day 8

[Buccos1]

Sat (10/3)

RRBT

Phase 7 -- Day 9

I moved my squat day to Sunday, to coincide with the next round of #3 attempts. I'm not delusional, but definitely optimistic after this past session with the 136lb. #2.5.

[Buccos1]

Sun (10/4)

Squats

(1x3) 135

(1x2) 225

(1x1) 315

(1x1) 345

(1x1) 365

(1x1) 385

(1x1) 400

RRBT

Phase 8 -- Day 1

I had high-hopes for today, in possibly closing the #3, for the first time. Especially with most of my gripper closes being during squats. But, the way it turned out, I missed all of my attempts, and wasn't really that close (5-10mm on most). I also had my wife filming, which messed me up, I think. I was waiting for the right moment and ended up getting pretty bad/weak sets, then had almost no chance at that point.

On a positive, squats were solid! This was the first time in years I've done 400 raw. Bodyweight is 193.

[Buccos1]

Mon (10/5)

Bench Press

(1x8) 135

(1x3) 185

(1x3) 225

(1x2) 265

(1x2) 295

(1x1) 315

(1x1) 325

Close-grip Bench Press

(2x5) 225

Standing Strict Press

(1x5) 95

(1x5) 105

(1x5) 125

RRBT

Phase 8 -- Day 2

I did some overhead pressing today, which I haven't done in a long, long time. For awhile, a few years back, I was doing seated barbell presses, and got up to around 215 x 1, but ended up hurting my back, and stopped doing these after. I've never really been able to do standing presses, as the basement in my old place was too low. But now, I have a higher ceiling and am able to do these. I did the presses pretty strict, and they felt weak. But, I think I'm going to stick with this movement for at least a few months, to see what type of effect it has on my bench numbers.

[Buccos1]

Tue (10/6)

Shrugs

(1x5) 135

(1x5) 225

(1x5) 315

(1x5) 405

(1x3) 475

(1x3) 500

Decline Kettlebell Pushups

(2x20)

RRBT

Phase 8 -- Day 3

Grippers were weak again today. I think my hands need time to heal. I did a few attempts on my easy #3 and didn't even get close. Then, I tried a few with my 132lb. Super Master, and missed several.

[Buccos1]

Wed (10/7)

DO - IMPs

Yellow Nail

5/16 x 7" Grade 2

Red Nail

Ironmind Hub

(1x1) 40

(1x1) 45

(1x1) 50

Ironmind Pinchblock

(1x1) 42.5

(1x1) 47.5

(1x1) 52.5

(1x1) 57.5

Blob 35

(2x1)

RRBT

Phase 8 -- Day 4

I ended up doing some of my favorite grip exercises today, which I haven't done any of in over two months (IM Hub, IM pinch block etc), due to going through RRBT. It was fun to do some of these lifts again, despite feeling really weak on some. The Hub felt heavy ... this is definitely a lift I need to train, to stay where I'm at, or I regress. I was really surprised with the IM Pinchblock, as 57.5 isn't too far off of my all-time max, and I did no work with this lift for the past three months.

[Buccos1]

Thur (10/8)

Deadlift (sumo)

(1x3) 135

(1x2) 225

(1x1) 315

add suit/straps down

(1x1) 405

(1x1) 440

(1x1) 475

straps up

(1x1) 525

RRBT

Phase 8 -- Day 5

[Buccos1]

Fri (10/9)

Standing Barbell Press

(1x5) 95

(1x5) 105

(1x5) 115

(1x5) 125

(1x5) 135

(1x3) 150

Floor Press

(1x3) 135

(1x3) 185

(1x3) 205

(1x2) 255

(1x1) 275

Shrugs

(1x5) 225

(1x5) 315

(1x5) 405

(1x5) 475

Kettlebell Pushups

(1x10)

-superset-

Dips

(1x10)

RRBT

Phase 8 -- Day 6

Standing presses are feeling better with each set I do. I'm liking this movement so far. I know it will help some things that I might slack on, including direct shoulder work and core stuff. I'd love to work up to a strict overhead press of 205 by the end-of-the-year. Not going to rush this though, as I am going to stick with sets of 3 and 5 to get reps in.

Edited October 11, 2015 by Buccos1

[Buccos1]

Sat (10/10)

Squats

(1x5) 135

(1x2) 225

(1x1) 315

(1x1) 340

(1x1) 365

(1x1) 375

RRBT

Phase 8 -- Day 7

Squats felt tough today. During warmups, 225 felt heavy, and I knew I wasn't going to be going too heavy. Gripper attempts weren't too bad, but my hands need some rest. I missed all of my attempts at the #3, but got one close with my 131lb. #2.5.

[Buccos1]

Sun (10/11)

RRBT

Phase 8 -- Day 8

[jvance]

Gettin close to knocking down those 3s one by one. Once you deload and give your tendons a chance to thicken back up you'll put the 3 in the rear view. Bill's high volume gripper workouts are pretty effective when trained smart. Good work!