Donati's Log Of Steel Bending, Grip And Powerlifting

[Buccos1]

Thur (12/1)

2-hand Pinch - Flask
(1x3)  95
(1x3)  105
(1x1)  120
(1x1)  140
(1x1)  150
(1x0)  160

2-hand Flask - Holds
(3x1)  125 - 5 sec.

1-hand Tips Tester
(1x1)  95
(1x1)  120

Reverse Axle Curls
(2x10)  55

Finger Walk - F/B
(2x1)  10

Phase 3/Day 4

The Flask felt pretty good today and 150 went up (been missing it a lot lately).  But, 160 didn't even budge.

[Buccos1]

Fri (12/2)

RRBT
Phase 3/Day 5

For the first time since starting RRBT, I was unable to finish the rep-count for the day.  My hands are hurting pretty bad today.  By the time I got to the third session, it was late and I decided to cut it short and hopefully get some rest.

[Buccos1]

Sat (12/3)

Squats
(1x3)  135
(1x2)  225
(1x1)  315
(1x1)  345
(1x1)  365
(1x1)  385
(1x1)  410

Barbell Shrugs
(1x5)  225
(1x5)  315
(1x5)  405
(1x5)  475

RRBT
Phase 3/Day 6

Squats felt strong today.  I can't even remember the last time I squatted 410 raw (7 years?).  

 

[Buccos1]

Mon (12/5)

DU - IMPs
Yellow Nail
Yellow Nail (5")
18/64 x 6.75" CRS

DU - BBW
1/4 x 7" Grade 8

2-hand Pinch - Flask
(1x1)  95
(1x1)  120
(1x1)  140
(1x0)  150

Axle Curls
(1x5)  70
(1x5)  100
(1x3)  120

Ironmind Pinch Block
(1x1)  40
(1x1)  50
(1x1)  60
(1x0)  65

Ironmind Hub
(1x1)  40
(1x1)  50
(1x1)  55
(1x1)  60
(1x1)  65

RRBT
Phase 3

The IM Hub felt strong today.  Thought about making an attempt at 70 for a minute, but wanted to end on a high-note, so was happy with 65.  It's been awhile since 65 felt so easy on the Hub.  Lately, it's been hit-or-miss.

[Buccos1]

Tue (12/6)

RRBT
Phase 3

[Buccos1]

Wed (12/7)

Deadlifts
(1x3)  135
(1x2)  225
(1x1)  315
(1x1)  405
(1x1)  440

Standing Press - Neutral Grip
(1x5)  85
(1x5)  110
(1x3)  125
(1x3)  155
(1x1)  180

Pull-ups
(3x5)

RRBT
Phase 3

[Buccos1]

Thur (12/8)

RRBT
Phase 3

My hands are feeling destroyed.  

[Buccos1]

Fri (12/9)

Standing Press - Neutral Grip
(1x5)  85
(1x5)  115
(1x3)  135
(1x3)  155
(1x1)  180
(1x0)  190

Close-grip Bench Press - 2 board
(1x5)  135
(1x3)  185
(1x3)  225
(1x2)  250
(1x2)  275

Barbell Curls
(1x3)  95
(1x3)  115
(1x3)  135

Pull-ups
(2x5)

Band Pushdowns
(2x20)

RRBT
Phase 4

[Buccos1]

Sat (12/10)

Squats
(1x3)  135
(1x2)  225
(1x1)  275
(1x1)  315
(1x1)  355
(1x1)  375
(1x1)  405

RRBT
Phase 4

[Buccos1]

Sun (12/11)

DO - IMPs
Yellow Nail (2)
18/64 x 7" CRS
Red Nail

Ironmind Hub
(1x1)  40
(1x1)  50
(1x1)  60

2-hand Pinch - Flask
(2x1)  95
(1x1)  130
(1x1)  140
(1x1)  150

I strained something in my wrist/hand yesterday, from the gripper closes (high volume).  I had to back off things a little, and wasn't sure how bending or pinch would go today, but decided to try it, and play-it-by-ear.  Bending felt rough to start, which is why I bent another Yellow during warmups.  The second Yellow felt a little better then I made a small change in my hand placement, and the 18/64" stock felt OK.  The (newer) Red bend was tough, but I was able to finish it without making things worse.

[Buccos1]

Mon (12/12)

Bench Press
(1x5)  135
(1x3)  185
(1x3)  225
(1x3)  255
(1x3)  295

Standing Presses - Neutral-grip
(1x5)  105
(1x5)  125
(1x5)  150

Reverse Axle Curls
(1x5)  55
(1x5)  75
(1x3)  85
(1x1)  95

RRBT
Phase 4

[Buccos1]

Tue (12/13)

2-hand Pinch - Flask
(1x5)  100
(1x1)  130
(1x1)  140
(1x1)  150

1-hand Tips Tester
(1x1)  95
(1x1)  105
(1x1)  115
(1x1)  125
(1x0)  135

RRBT
Phase 4

[Buccos1]

Fri (12/16)

Barbell Shrugs
(1x5)  135
(1x5)  225
(1x5)  315
(1x5)  405
(1x5)  475

Standing Press - Neutral-grip
(1x5)  85
(1x5)  105
(1x3)  125
(1x3)  145
(1x0)  175
(1x1)  175

Axle Curls
(1x5)  85
(1x5)  105
(1x5)  120

Pull Ups
(2x5)

Band Pushdowns
(2x20)

It was COLD in my gym today.  I didn't have a chance to warm things up and the temp was 17-22 for most of the session.

[Buccos1]

Sat (12/17)

Squats
(1x3)  135
(1x2)  225
(1x1)  275
(1x1)  315
(1x1)  345
(1x1)  370
(1x1)  405

Walk Outs
(1x1)  475
(1x1)  525
(1x1)  575

[Buccos1]

Sun (12/18)

DO - IMPs
Yellow Nail
1/4 x 7" Square
Red Nail

DU - IMPs
Yellow Nail
1/4 x 6.5" Grade 5

DU - BBW
1/4 x 7" Grade 8

2-hand Pinch - Flask
(1x1)  95
(1x1)  120
(1x1)  140
(1x1)  150
(2x0)  160

Ironmind Hub
(1x1)  40
(1x1)  50
(1x1)  60

150 on the Flask felt strong, but 160 didn't even budge.  Bending felt pretty good today.  I am going to attempt to do the Southern Squeeze this year.  I wanted to do it last year, but logistically, it was impossible.  The same might occur this year, but I am planning to attend.  As I've been doing RRBT for the past 6 weeks, I am going to cut it short to give my hands a chance to heal some, a few weeks before the comp.  I really wanted to keep going with it, but I know I wouldn't be anywhere near 100% as the comp approached.  I will get back to doing grippers 2x/week, with one regular day and one negative day.

[Buccos1]

Mon (12/19)

Bench Press
(1x5)  135
(1x3)  185
(1x3)  225
(1x2)  255
(1x2)  295

Close-grip Bench Press - 2-board
(1x3)  225
(1x3)  250

Standing Press - Neutral-Grip
(1x5)  85
(1x5)  105
(1x3)  125
(1x3)  145
(1x1)  175

Decline Kettlebell Pushups
(2x15)

[Buccos1]

Tue (12/20)

Barbell Shrugs
(1x8)  135
(1x8)  225
(1x8)  315
(1x5)  405
(2x5)  475

Speed Bench Press
(2x3)  135
(2x3)  155
(2x3)  155 - add chains

Hammer Curls
(1x5)  55
(1x5)  75
(1x3)  95
(1x3)  110

Speed bench felt pretty good today.  The last few times I've tried this (over the past few months), it bothered my shoulder a lot.  Today, the shoulder-issue felt nonexistent.  

[Buccos1]

Wed (12/21)

Sumo Deadlifts
(1x3)  135
(1x2)  225
(1x1)  315
add suit/straps down
(1x1)  405
(1x1)  445
(1x1)  475
straps up
(1x1)  525

[Buccos1]

Sat (12/24)

Standing Axle Press
(1x5)  35
(1x5)  75
(1x5)  105
(1x3)  125
(1x3)  150

Axle Curls
(1x3)  85
(1x3)  105
(1x3)  125

Neutral-grip Rows
(2x5)  125
(1x5)  175

Reverse-axle Curls
(1x5)  55
(1x3)  75
(1x3)  85

Today was the first "pain-free" session of barbell/axle standing press in months.  The set of 150 didn't exactly feel strong, but there was no pain.    I'm not going to get crazy with these again, especially since neutral-grip presses have been working so well.  I may start to alternate axle presses back in for sets of 3-5, depending on how things feel.  This time around, though, at the first shoulder twinge, I am stopping the set and not messing around.

 

[Buccos1]

Sun (12/25)

Squats - briefs
(1x2)  135
(1x1)  225
(1x1)  315
(1x1)  405
(1x1)  445
(1x1)  475

Grippers - 25mm Block
(1x3)  #1
(1x2)  GHP4 - 94
(1x1)  #2 - 102
(1x1)  #2 - 114
(1x1)  RB210 - 120
(1x1)  #2.5 - 123

2-hand Pinch - Flask
(1x1)  95
(1x1)  120
(1x1)  130
(1x1)  140

I wanted to get a session in briefs in, maybe working up to 525.  Surprisingly (to me), my reps felt weaker than in the past, despite my raw numbers going up.  I was expecting to blow through the attempts up until 500, but they felt slow and heavy.  I haven't spent much time in briefs lately, though, and technique was somewhat off.  I decided to skip the top set due to this.

This was my first gripper workout in about a week, since I stopped RRBT.  The 120 close was slow but strong.  The 123 #2.5 felt a little easier than the 120 close.  I'm going to start working some negatives back into the routine before next month's comp.

[Buccos1]

Tue (12/27)

3" Fat Bar Bench Press
(1x5)  125
(1x3)  175
(1x3)  215
(1x3)  235
(1x3)  265

Close-grip Bench Press
(1x3)  225
(1x3)  250
(1x2)  275

3" Axle Curls
(1x5)  40
(1x5)  55
(1x5)  65
(1x3)  85
(1x3)  95
(1x3)  100

Dead Hangs
30 sec.
40 sec.
50 sec.

I got a 3" fat bar for Christmas and put it to use for the first time.  This thing is a beast!  I wasn't sure how things would progress with it on bench, but was OK up until 235, when I started to worry about my grip and it rolling.  265 felt OK, but I had to stop there without a spotter.  Curls were tough with this thing, but fun.  I was really conservative starting out.  100x3 was pretty close to a max, without me losing my grip.

[Buccos1]

Wed (12/28)

Deadlifts
(1x3)  135
(1x2)  225
(1x1)  315
(1x1)  405
(1x1)  455
add suit - off 1" mat
(1x1)  475
(1x1)  510

Dead Hang
30 sec.
30 sec.

[Buccos1]

Thur (12/29)

Grippers - 25mm 
(1x3)  T
(1x3)  #1.5
(1x1)  #2 - 102
(1x1)  #2 - 114
(1x1)  Super Master - 126

Secret Weapon
(2x1)  50 - 10 sec.
(2x1)  60 - 5 sec.
(2x1)  70 - 5 sec.

2-hand Pinch - Flask
(1x1)  95
(1x1)  120
(1x1)  140
(1x1)  152.5

2-hand Pinch - Flask (Holds)
(2x1)  130 - 5 sec.

1-hand Tips Tester
(1x1)  95
(1x1)  115
(1x0)  125
(1x1)  125

Finger Walks - F/B
(2x1)  10

[Buccos1]

Fri (12/30)

Speed Bench Press
(2x3)  135
(2x3)  155
(3x3)  155 - add chains

Standing Press - Neutral Grip
(1x5)  85
(1x5)  110
(1x5)  130
(1x3)  150
(1x2)  175
(1x0)  190

Pull-Ups
(2x5)

3" Axle Curls
(1x5)  55
(1x5)  75
(1x3)  105

 

[Buccos1]

Sat (12/31)

Squats
(1x3)  135
(1x2)  225
(1x1)  275
(1x1)  315
(1x1)  340
(1x1)  370
(1x1)  405

Walk-Outs
(1x1)  475
(1x1)  525
(1x1)  590