Ottoemezzo Training Log

[OTTOEMEZZO]

Did a back work out today, here are some details:

DEADLIFT: 320 x 12. Sounds good, but I finally recorded myself on camera and I see that the first rep is good, and then, my backs starts to bend with each rep. I will work on my technique.

PULL UPS: 80 x 1 weighted pull ups - pretty easily. Next week, it's time for 82.5 x 1. This is completely dead hang, by the way.

BENT OVER ROWS: 190 x 7. Making good progress here.

I'm disappointed with deadlifts, but I will work on form and succeed at lifting heavy with perfect technique.

[OTTOEMEZZO]

Did 4 choked singles today. #2.5 for left hand (set at .9") and #3 for right hand (set at .75")

Surprisingly easy closes with the right. First close was a huge overcrush with a pretty loud CLICK!!! #3 CCS must not be far off.

All closes were successful, but on the fourth single, I barely got the handles to touch on both right and left hands.

Still, amazing work out!!!

[OTTOEMEZZO]

Just did 4 negatives today with #3.5 with both hands and OVERCRUSHED #2 for 1st time with LEFT as the last warm up!!! Felt easy. For right hand, it is a toy.

I also tried to close a choked #3.5 and was barely able to move it. It's incredible how much harder it is than a choked #3.

[OTTOEMEZZO]

Got "Secret Weapon" yesterday. It's a great machine and I can't wait to incorporate it into my training. Also, did 4 choked closes with #2.5 for left and #3 for right and overcrushed every attempt. Of course, I couldn't resist trying some negatives on the machine, and my conclusion is that it destroys hands - in a good way. Many great and extremely difficult work outs are in my future.

[OTTOEMEZZO]

Not much happening lately. Tried benching 245 - failed. Working on deadlift and squat form, as I am still pretty new to this. Learning alot.

I am now closing #2 pretty easily with my left hand. I attribute the progress to resting and choker work.

Still recovering my right hand and doing some easy closes with Sport and Trainer.

[OTTOEMEZZO]

I am about 1/4" away from closing #2.5 with my left, I was 1" away 2 months ago.

Overall though, I feel weaker, so it is time for a back off week. I will still train left hand grip like normal. My right hand feels much better.

[OTTOEMEZZO]

08.24.2010

Secret Weapon: 65 x 3, 60 x 3

08.25.2010

Decided to have a grip day because I was feeling strong. Got #2.5 closer than ever on the left hand - I would say about 3/16"

Tried some choked closes with #3 on left hand - still very difficult. Overall, work out looked like this:

Warm up, #2.5 attempt, #3 choked x 2 attempts, #2.5 x 2 attempts.

Also did a few #2 closes which are getting to be consistent.

[OTTOEMEZZO]

8.27.2010

De-load leg day.

8.28.2010

De-load back and shoulder day.

Also did grip work. Did 5 attempts with left hand at #2.5 - all about 1/4" or closer. Closest was about 3/16". I feel I will be ready for my choked #3 within a month, for sure.

For right hand, I am coming back - today I only worked with #1.5. Did 5 easy sets of 10 reps. All easy! In a week or two, I will be ready for my real work out. Feels great, and NO PAIN!

[OTTOEMEZZO]

8.31.2010

BIG DAY TODAY! Right hand was feeling good, so I tried #2.5 and CLOSED IT FOR THE 1ST TIME!!! I used minimal set (wider than CCS, but with no pause). Feels great. Then, I tried #3, and was around 1/2" away. Getting closer. Here's the icing on the cake: I wasn't even feeling my strongest when I tried #2.5, so I believe my level is around 2.6-2.7 right now.

Also beat my bench press record, did 240 lbs!

One of those great training days.

[Benedikt Farsmann]

Congrats, man!

[Joefrey]

Great achievement with the 2.5 ! Keep it up !!

[OTTOEMEZZO]

Thanks for the support Klesen and Joefrey!

[Malice]

Great job on not getting a PR on the 2.5 but bench as well!!

[OTTOEMEZZO]

Malice, thanks my friend.

[Malice]

Oops...that was supposed to say "not ONLY getting a PR on the 2.5 but on bench as well." I blame it on my phone...lol but is looks like you understood what I was saying anyway

[OTTOEMEZZO]

9.1.2010

Deadlifts! Did 5 sets of 2 reps with 325 (overhand grip) and I am starting to do compeltely dead reps - no momentum between reps. Also did 3 sets of wrist curls with 110 lbs for 5 reps. Next week, it's time to increase the weight.

9.3.2010

Leg work-out. Did 225 lbs, 5 sets of 5 on squats. Easy! Next week, it's time for 230. I'm going very deep on these, beyond parallel. One thing is that my wrists hurt after each set. Anyone have ideas?

[OTTOEMEZZO]

9.3.2010 (afternoon workout)

Grippers. Was feeling weak after the squat workout, but still managed to have a very nice work out.

#3 RH x 4 x 1 rep. Got within about 1/4". Very happy with this!

#2.5 LB x 4 x 1 rep. Got within about 1/8". Great progress here!

Next workout is this Sunday. Will definitely do some choked attemps at #3 with my LH. RH, not sure, maybe will attempt #3.5 (which has a monster spread and seems impossible.)

[OTTOEMEZZO]

9.5.2010

My right hand started to hurt slightly during the grip work out. So, I did only a few sets and am now taking a 1 week break from grippers for right hand.

9.7.2010

Received Rolling Thunder!!! Loaded it up with all my weights (progressively), and lifted the weight with both the right and left hand. Just barely, but still a lift. Had 132.5 lbs on there. Need to buy some more weight now. However, I'm very impressed with the feel of this equipment.

Also did Secret Weapon work for left hand. 70 lbs for 6 singles with 5 minute breaks between sets. First 3 sets, I was able to hold the handles completely shut, and on the last 3, they started to come apart slighly in the beggining. I'm still improving here, so next week, I will increase the weight to 72.5.

[OTTOEMEZZO]

9.9.2010

Deadlifts: warm up, 335 x 2 x 5 sets, 235 x 10. EASY. Next week: 340!

Military Press: warm up, 125 x 5, 125 x 2 x 4 sets. These feel very weak. I haven't really done them in the past, so I'm not surprised. Still, next week I will bump them up to 130 and probably do something like: 3 x 5 sets. Since the exercise is relatively new, I expect to improve quickly and max out at around 160 in a couple months. Really need to bring this up, but will definitely reach 200 within 6 - 9 months.

[OTTOEMEZZO]

9.9.2010 (afternoon)

I also did grip work today. #3 choked at 3/4" with both hands x 4 singles. No complete closes - disappointed with right hand, but still within about 1/8" on some. Left hand is improving on these. After this, did 2 overcrushes for 10 seconds (#2 with right hand - felt nice and solid. #1.5 with left)

[OTTOEMEZZO]

9.11.2010

Squats - 230 x 5 x 5 sets. EASY! Followed by 20 reps at 155 lbs.

Weighted Chin Ups - 35 x 5 x 3 sets. Relatively easy! Next week, it's time for 40 lbs.

Pull ups - 10, 6, 6. Planned on 10 x 3. Next week will do 8 x 3. I was pretty tired after weighted chin ups.

Wrist Curls - 115 x 5 x 2 sets, 115 x 4. On the bar I use, the plates roll around too much, leading to an akward movement. Next week, I will do these with 60 lb dumbbells.

Rolling Thunder - 125 x 2 consecutive reps. 115 x 4 consecutive reps. 110 x 8 consecutive reps. Slightly disappointed here. Surprised at how fast I lose strength between sets. After 115 x 4, could not even get 125 for a single rep. Next week, I will warm up and then do 5 singles with 127.5 lbs. If I succeed, the weight will move up to 130 and so on. If I fail to get 5 singles, I will do the same weight again. Still getting used to this - never done thickbar work in my life and only the second time doing Rolling Thunder.

[Malice]

Nice workouts! You're a little stronger on RT than I was when I first got mine back in May or June. I was only able to pull 130 when I got it. I just started training with mine again and haven't been consistent with it at all but really like using it. I'm interested in seeing how your RT workouts go since this thing is still a mystery to me.

[OTTOEMEZZO]

9.14.2010

Bench Press: 225 x 2 x 5 sets. Felt good on these. Last few sets, I barely got the weight up. I had no help with lift off, and no assisted reps. Next week, I will attempt 5 sets of 2 reps with 230.

Power Clean and Push Press: Tried these for the first time. Nothing special, just getting a hang on these. Shooting for 225 lbs in the near future.

Grippers (choked #3): Did 5 singles. I closed the first attempt with my right hand and missed the rest. However, the choker moved after (I believe) first rep from .75" to .9" and I decided to keep it at that distance for the rest of the work out. Most attempts on right hand were about 1/16" - 1/8". Very, very close. On the left hand, only the first rep was good. I did a 5 second forced negative for each rep. Finished off with 1 overcrush at #2 with right and #1.5 with left. Overcrush was 15 seconds and felt solid. Next workout, I intend to close the choked #3 at least 2 times with my right at .9".

[OTTOEMEZZO]

9.16.10

Deadlifts: 340 x 2 x 5 sets. Getting harder. Finished off with 240 x 10. All done with DO grip.

Military Press: 130 x 3 x 5 sets. These are improving rather quickly, which is expected since I just started. Finished with 100 x 10.

Wrist curls: 115 x 5 x 3 sets. Only got 3 reps on the 3rd set. Used a barbell on these, with 10 lb. plates. Worked much better than last week, when I used bigger plates. However, did not take enough rest between sets.

Did some tricep pushdowns. Whole stack for 3 sets of 8. EASY. Need to switch to the pulldown machine.

AFTERNOON:

Rolling Thunder: 127.5 x 2 on right hand. Did not get any with left. Decided to lower the weight, so I did 115 x 5 x 3 sets. Fininshed off with 100 x 10. Grip was weak after those OH deadlifts and wrist curls. Will do 115 x 5 x 4 sets this Saturday or Sunday. And increase by 2.5 lbs each week. I feel like these should improve quickly. Just need to do some good volume to get the hang of it.

[OTTOEMEZZO]

9.19.10

Squats: 235 x 5 x 5 sets. 160 x 20. Below parallel on all reps.

Chin Ups: 40 x 5 x 3 sets.

Pull Ups (bodyweight): 8 x 3 sets.

Also did curls and standing calf raises.

9.21.10

Bench Press: was going for 230 x 2 x 5 sets. Did 4 sets of 2 reps and got 1 rep on the last set.

Power Clean and Press: 2nd time doing this. Need to work on getting the finger grip in the top position. Doing alot of research.

Wrist curls: 120 x 5 x 3 sets. Rather easy.

Front lever: did some basic tuck, which was easy. Advanced tuck is hard for me. Never really worked hard on these. Finally want to conquer this skill.

Grippers (only left, right is feeling a little tweaky - doing active recovery for it): 4 attempts at #3 - about .75" away --- improving. Also did 2 negatives with #3.5. I have not worked #3 from a full range for a long time with left hand, so, I expect to improve very quickly.

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My weight is up to 214.8. Waist is just over 35. Need to increase the cardio to 2 times a week. Going for a run outside tomorrow.