Jump to content

General strength and grip training


Aleksandar Milosevic

Recommended Posts

Gonna keep my log here.


Training is basically modified Westside conjugate, main focus is improving my power clean, front squat, bench press and weighted pull up for the maximal effort days, which will be done for a maximal set of 3, not doing 1 RM. Assistance for that day is going to be on the heavier side, 5-6 reps per set, 3-4 sets.

The "dynamic" effort days will consist of an actual dynamic exercise banded or not, and it's gonna be done in 3 week cycles, then I'm switching the exercise, the assistance is going to be bodybuilding style hypertrophy.

As far as grip goes, just trying to get stronger in pinch and RT, since that makes my crush grip stronger (closing my #2 like a toy after not touching it for a while), and just general hand, wrist and arm strength. Work for grip training is also gonna be split in hypertrophy and max strength work.

I'm not using a belt, mixed grip, wraps or straps (only for snatch grip high pulls).

Format is weight x reps x sets. Only showing the top sets.

Here's today's training (5.12.2016.):

Bench press: 110 kg x 3 (Strongest bench since May 2015.)

Dumbbell rolling triceps extension: 20 kg x 6 x 3 

Pendlay row: 80 kg x 6 x 3

EZ bar biceps curl (very strict): 40 kg x 6 x 3

Rolling thunder: 50 kg x 3; x 2; x 1 (R); 50 kg x 4; x 3; x 0; (I don't have a loading pin, I just chain plates together, it's very unstable)

Dragon flag: 6 x 3

Edit:

My weight is 87.9 kg, I'm 182 cm tall, and I'll be dieting down to 82-84 kg in the next 2-3 months.

 

Edited by Aleksandar Milosevic
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today's training (7.12.2016.)

Power clean: 75 kg x 3 PR

High bar, narrow stance squat: 90 kg x 5 x 3 

Good morning: 70 kg x 5 x 3

Standing calf raise: 30 kg x 10 x 3

Roman chair (abs): 15 kg x 12 x 3

2h pinch (using landmine attachment): 30 kg x 6, 35 kg x 5, 40 kg x 5 (PR); x 4; x 2; (Not counting the weight of the bar here)

 

Good session, haven't done high bar squats in years but I'm gonna bring them back into my routine.
For the 2H Pinch, I use a landmine attachment, I put a 20 kg bumper plate, it's about 55 mm thick and I grip it with both hands (fingers on flat surface, no cheating), and I add weight onto that - I'll make a video once. Funny thing happened, a pretty strong  guy in my gym asked me why I'm doing that and tried it, and he couldn't lift 40 kg even once, even with cheating. He was like, man, you're so strong, and I was just thinking about some people here who rep that with one hand :D 

I am seeing big improvements in my gripper closing ability since I've started training my pinch grip seriously, and I'm not even training my crush grip at all.

 

Edited by Aleksandar Milosevic
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Extra workout - active recovery/gpp (9.12.2016.):

Stationary bike: 10 minutes @ 77 bpm

Jump rope (70% intensity): 1:30 x 5

Lying leg raises: 12 x 4 

Edited by Aleksandar Milosevic
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today's workout (9.12.2016.):

Speed bench press: 60 kg x 3 x 9 (narow, normal, illegal wide, 30 sec rest between sets)

Hammer chest press: 30 kg per side x 12 x 4 (slow reps)

Lat machine: 55 kg x 10, 70 kg x 10 x 3 (again, slow, controlled reps, wide)

Seated lateral raises: 10 kg x 10 x 3

Rolling thunder: 42.5 kg x 12; x 10; thumbless x 5 + 4 regular (both hands)

Dumbbell preacher curls: 17.5 kg x 10; 15 kg x 10 x 2

Triceps extension (cable): stack x 10 x 3

Crunches: 20 x 2

My gym finally got a loading pin, so my RT movement feels so much better now, since I used to just chain some plates together and lift them. Tried preacher curls after about 6-7 years since I got tendonitis on my left elbow from them when I was 15-16. It bothered both of my elbows now, so I won't be doing it ever again. Bodybuilding assistance is gonna stay a staple for the entire 3 month training cycle, I really like it.

 

Edited by Aleksandar Milosevic
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today's training (11.12.2016.):

Speed squat: 70 kg x 2 x 10 (5 sets high bar, 5 sets low bar, 30 second rest)

Power snatch: 50 kg x 1 x 6 (30 second rest)

Hack squat: 120 kg x 12 x 3 
      +
Leg curl: 30 kg x 12 x 3

Standing calf raise: 30 kg x 12 x 3

1H Pinch: 20 kg x 12 x 2 PR

Good session, squat felt pretty easy, like nothing, snatch was pretty easy too, but it's the 1st week in a 3 week cycle (50% 55% 60%). 

Hack squats and leg curls were supersets, done with constant tension in the muscle (no lockout, slow reps), my legs felt like they're gonna explode...

My pinch has massively improved I remember struggling to do 5 reps with 20 kg one handed, now I did 2 sets of 12 with both hands.

That's all for today!



 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today's training (12.12.2016.):

Incline bench press: 90 kg x 3 PR; 70 kg x 6 x 3 (paused on chest)

Weighted pull ups/chin ups: 25 kg x 3.5 x 3 PR; x 3

Scullcrushers: 50 kg x 5 x 3

Rolling thunder: 57.5 kg x 1 (both hands); 50 kg x 2 (both hands); 50 kg x 1 R; 50 kg x 0 L;

EZ bar curl: 50 kg x 5 x 4 (slow negative)

Decline bench ab circut: 30 x 2

Feeling stronger every day, very happy with the RT today, since I've done pinch volume yesterday and my thumbs are fried. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today's training (14.12.2016.):

Front squat: 90 kg x 5; 95 kg x 3 PR both

Conventional deadlift: 130 kg x 3 x 3 (double overhand)

Decline bench abs: 15 kg x 10; 30 kg x 10;

Rest of training was done at home:

Sit ups: 15 kg x 15 x 2

Standing calf raise: 20 x 2 (both legs); 10 x 2 (single leg);

Gripper TNS: CoC #2 failed 2 times, both hands; Baraban adjustable: 8-8 x 6 x 3 (Right hand); 8-8 x 6 x 2; 8-8 x 4;

My front squat is getting stronger and stronger, I could have done more reps with 95 kg, I stopped because of upper back pain - still a PR.
Deadlift wasn't feeling heavy, so that's coming back up nicely, grip felt very strong.
I couldn't train pinch at my house, so I did some gripper training, failed the first TNS sets with #2 about 5 mm from closing, and it's the first time I tried to TNS it. I feel the problem is technique, not strength. 
 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today's training (16.12.2016.):

Speed bench press: 65 kg x 3 x 9 (narrow, medium, wide grip; 30 second rest)

Rolling thunder: 45 kg x 10 x 3 (all time PR, both hands)

Key press: 22.5 kg x 10; 27.5 kg x 10 x 2 PR; 22.5 kg x 10 (slow reps with a pause)

Hammer strength row: 35 kg per side x 10 x 3 (contraction held for 1-2 seconds each rep)

Supersets (dumbbells with fat gripz on):
Lateral raise: 10 kg x 15 x 3
Tate press (incline): 10 kg x 12 x 3
Biceps curl: 10 kg x 10 x 3

Very good session, decided to do RT after my 1st exercise so my hand aren't too tired, and it worked great.
First time doing the key press, I saw it in another member's log and decided to try it, really hit my triceps and chest hard, it's a great exercise which I'll continue to use in the future.
The supersets were BRUTAL, I barely managed to do it, because my fingers failed in the middle of the last superset, I was so tired I had to wait a little bit so I could remove the Fat Gripz from the dumbbells, my fingers were that tired.

All in all, everything is going great, getting some good size and strength gains on everything that I do, my diet is great, I'm 0.7 kg down from 7.12.2016. - gonna keep killing it!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today's training (18.12.2016.):

Speed squat: 77.5 kg x 2 x 10 (5 sets high bar, 5 sets low bar, 30 second rest)

Power snatch: 55 kg x 1 x 6 (30 second rest)

Bulgarian split squat: 10 kg x 10 (ankle pain)

Dumbbell lunge: 10 kg x 10 x 2
superset
45° hyperextension: bw x 10, 25 kg x 10 x 2

Rest of the training done at home:

Swiss ball reverse hyper: 10 x 3 (slow reps)
superset
Swiss ball decline sit up: 10 x 3

Bulgarian split squat: bw x 10 x 3
superset
Stair standing calf raise: bw x 20 x 2; one legged: 10 + 20 two legged

Getting some volume, skipped grip work today, keeping my hand fresh for Monday.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today's training (19.12.2016.):

Floor press: 90 kg x 3; 100 kg x 3 PR

Rolling thunder: 
62.5 kg x 0 (both hands, got some air with my right hand); 55 kg x 3; x 3 R, x 0 L; x 1.5 R, x 1.5 L

BTN seated press: 50 kg x 5; 60 kg x 5 x 3

Weighted chin ups/pull ups: 27.5 kg x 4 lifetime PR; x 3; x 3; x 3

One handed cable triceps extension: 6 plates x 6 x 3

Dumbbell hammer curl: 27.5 kg x 5 x 3

Hanging leg raise: 10 x 3

Satisfied with everything besides RT, I have come to conclusion that the most important thing for RT strength is time under tension/volume, so I'm gonna do it like this from now on: Monday - reps paused at the top 10 x 3/ Friday - 10 x 3. I think that's gonna work better.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today's training (21.12.2016.):

Conventional rack pulls (mid shin): 130 kg x 3; 150 kg x 1; 160 kg x 0 (grip fail); 130 kg x 5 (all done double overhand)

IM hub: 12.5 kg x 10 (both, rep PR); 15 kg x 5 R, x 2 L PR; 12.5 kg x 8 R; 12.5 x 6 L (no resetting, PR)

Hack squat machine: 
170 kg x 6; 190 kg x 6 x 3 PR (easy work tho, just the most I've done)

Standing calf raise: 60 kg x 10 x 3
superset
Pinch grip shrugs: 20 kg fat plates x 20; x 25; x 22

Weighted crunches: 25 kg x 12 x 3 (weight behind the head)

Since I've decided I'm not going to use straps or any assistance gear besides chalk, I stopped my deadlift when my grip failed. 
Haven't trained on the hub for at least a year, and I'll have to put it back in my training, because I feel my fingers need to be a lot stronger, so Wednesday will be Hub/Pinch and it will be rotated weekly - Pinch holds/Hub reps; Pinch reps/Hub holds.

Feeling great, besides my wrist injury on both hands, which is getting better, but it's present for months already.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today's training (23.12.2016.):

Speed bench press: 70 kg x 3 x 9

Rolling thunder: 49.75 kg x 10 x 2 PR; 50 kg x 9 

Fist push ups: 15 x 3

RT low to high row: 7 plates x 12 x 3

Seated biceps curl: 17.5 kg x 10; 15 kg x 12 x 2
superset
Dumbbell triceps extension (behind the head): 17.5 kg x 12; 15 kg x 15 x 2

Shoulder complex "T": 7.5 kg x 10 x 3

Lying knee raise (with some rotation): 15 x 4

Great volume work, RT strength is coming up each session, now I'm counting the rolling pin and the handle in the total weight (2.5 kg), so the weight on the pin was 46.25 kg.
Everything else feeling great, I love the body building assistance work, doing everything slow and controlled, getting a great pump. I'm down 1.5 kg (3.3 lbs) from 7th of December, and I've gained muscle size everywhere (measured everything at 7th, gonna post the full results at the end of January), so I'm pretty happy, getting bigger and stronger while losing fat.

Edit: Shoulder complex "T" is basically dumbbell front raise combined with lateral raise - you do a front raise, move your hands to lateral position (like letter T), and you lower them, the next rep is lateral raise, move it to the front, than lower.

Edited by Aleksandar Milosevic
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yesterday's training (25.12.2016.):

Speed squat: 80 kg x 2 x 10 (5 sets high, 5 sets low bar, 30 second pause)

Snatch: 60 kg x 1 x 6

Stiff leg deadlift: 90 kg x 8 x 3

Leg extension: pump x 15; x 12; x 15

Seated calf raise: 25 kg x 12 x 3
superset
Standing calf raise: 25 kg x 10 x 3 (very slow reps)

High decline sit up: 20 x 3

No grip work done, squat felt a bit off, everything else felt good - didn't get sore somehow (at least today)

Today's training (26.12.2016.):

Bench press: 112.5 kg x 2.5 PR (goal was 3 reps); 90 kg x 5 x 3 (narrow, paused)  

Rolling thunder: 42.5 kg x 10 x 3 PR (Paused for 1-1.5 seconds at the top, no resetting)

Pull ups: 15 PR; 
10 (wide grip); 8 (wide grip)

Dumbbell seated shoulder press: 22.5 kg x 10 x 3

EZ biceps curl: 50 kg x 5 x 3

Didn't feel great on the bench, I was aiming to do at least one rep with 112.5 kg, managed to do 2 and a half, couldn't lock it out.
Rolling thunder went great, feeling stronger and stronger every session. Pull ups surprised me, banged out 15, all done with chin over the bar with ease. My grip was fried tho, and I had to stop because my forearms were getting cramps. I'm also currently doing some hook grip holds, getting my thumbs tougher, because I've said to myself I'm not gonna use reverse grip anymore, and I can't DO everything.


 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today's training (28.12.2016.):

Low bar squat: 120 kg x 5 PR;

Paused squat: 100 kg x 3 x 3

Deficit deadlift: 120 kg x 3 x 5

Roman chair (abs): drop sets, from heavy to lighter: 5; 5; 3; 3; 4; 5; 5;

Landmine pinch: 50 kg x 5 PR; x 4; x 4; x 3;

Wrist curl (bar behind the back): 60 kg x 10 x 3

Wrist extension: bar x 10 x 3

Great session, done in flat shoes, for the first time in ages, I do all my training in weightlifting shoes (AdiPowers) and I'm at least 20% stronger in flat shoes!
I was aiming to go for 3 reps with 120 kg and did easy 5 reps, deficit deadlift felt easier than regular deadlift in the oly shoes...
Pinch is advancing very good, didn't do any hub because hook grip on the deficits tore my nail from the skin and it was bleeding.

All in all, getting stronger by the day in every single aspect of training.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today's training (30.12.2016.):

Dumbbell bench press: 32 kg x 16; x 11; x 12 (max reps every set)

Rolling thunder: 50 kg x 10 x 2 lifetime PR; 50 kg x 7 R; 50 kg x 4 L;

One handed hammer strength row: 30 kg x 12; 45 kg x 12 x 2

Shoulder superset (front and lateral raise): 12.5 kg x 10+10 x 3

Fat gripz rope triceps extensions: stack x 12 x 3
superset
Fat gripz rope biceps curls: stack x 8 x 3

Standing abs: 60 kg x 16 x 4

Very, very tough session. Every single exercise was done to absolute limit. I'm strong, looking good, shredding fat and feeling great, hope the next year stays the same!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today's training (1.1.2017.):

Low bar squat: 100 kg x 12 x 3 Rep PR
superset
Asisted closes and negatives CoC #2: 3 x 3 each hand

Leg press: 145 kg x 10 x 3
superset
Leg curl: 7 plates x 10 x 3

Standing calf raise: 35 kg x 12 x 3

Lying leg raise/dragon flag mix: 15; 12 x 2

I really, REALLY hate doing volume on squats, my back hates it, my wrists hate it, my shoulders hate it. I don't do more than 10 reps with the bar when I'm getting warmed up, so doing heavy weight for a lot of reps is hell for me, that's why I haven't done it for years now (last time I did something similar I had a bad back injury). It was very hard, 2nd and 3rd set especially was like a fight to survive (back cramps) but I won. No pain tho, besides regular muscle exhaustion. Happy new year to everyone!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today's training (2.1.2017.):

2 board press: 100 kg x 3; 110 kg x 3; 115 kg x 2.5 PR

Narrow paused bench press: 
100 kg x 4; 100 kg x 3 x 2

Rolling thunder: 43.75 kg x 10 x 3 PR (1-1.5 sec hold every rep)

Weighted chin up/pull up: 
20 kg x 6; x 5; x 4; x 4; 10 kg x 7 (pull up, wide); x 7 chin up;

Decline dumbbell triceps extensions: 17 kg x 6; 20 kg x 6 x 3
superset
Fat Gripz ez bar biceps curl: 40 kg x 6 x 4 (last set without FG)



 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today's training (4.1.2017.):

Power clean: 70 kg x 3; 82.5 kg x 1F; 80 kg x 3; x 5; x 4 Lifetime PR;

Clean: 50 kg x 5 x 3

Reverse hyper: 20 kg x 10; 40 kg x 10; 50 kg x 10 x 2

Weighted crunches: 10 kg x 25; 15 kg x 20; 25 kg x 20 x 2
superset
Leg press toe raise: 170 kg x 15 x 3

Pinch grip shrugs: 25 kg plate each hand x 15 x 3

This training session started pretty shitty, was aiming for an easy 82.5 kg x 3, ended up barely doing one rep with 3 attempts. Lowered the weight and had a technique revelation that will increase my numbers by at least 10%. The key is starting the movement from an ass to grass squat, so the torso-leg angle can stay constant until the third pull. This is gonna make a huge difference and made 80 kg feel like 50 kg. Regular cleans were really heavy, despite being only 50 kg. My gym just got a reverse hyper, and it's gonna be a staple every single lower body workout. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today's training (6.1.2017.):

Wide(r) grip bench press: 90 kg x 10 PR; x 6 x 2;
Illegal wide bench press: 60 kg x 10

Rolling thunder: 51.25 kg x 6; x 4; x 1 (both hands);

Wide grip pull ups (strict): 10 x 3
Lat machine (wide grip): 10 x 2 (slow, strict)

Triceps "30" complex: 30 kg x 10+10+10 x 2 

Seated biceps curl: 12.5 kg x 10 x 3 (slow, strict)
superset
Cable triceps extension (single hand): 10 x 2

Chest fly (machine): 35 kg x 12 x 3 (slow, paused contraction)
superset
Rear delt fly (machine): 35 kg x 12 x 3

At the moment it's -20°C in Serbia (-4°F), and the drive to the gym in my very cold car didn't do any good to my tendons, my grip felt weak from the first rep, and I knew it wouldn't be a good session grip-wise. I was aiming to do 51.25 kg x 10 x 3, and barely managed 6 reps on both hands on the first set. My biceps was bothering me too. Rest of the training was great, great pump. I'll skip grip work next week, gotta rest a little bit, my arms feel overtrained.


 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today's training (8.1.2017.):

Speed squat: 70 kg x 2 x 10 (5 sets low bar, 5 sets high bar, 30 second rest)

Power snatch: 50 kg x 1; 55 kg x 1; 60 kg x 1 x 3; 50 kg x 1 x 3;

Fat gripz deadlift: 80 kg x 5; 100 kg x 1; 110 kg x 1; 100 kg x 1 x 5;

Bulgarian split squat (drop sets): 15 kg x 10 + 10 kg x 10 + bw x 10 x 2 each leg 

Reverse hyper: 20 kg x 10; 40 kg x 10 x 3

At home:

Decline swiss ball abs: 15 x 3
superset
Donkey calf raises: 115 kg x 15 x 3

Good session, Bulgarian split squats were brutal, I probably won't be able to walk tomorrow.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today's training (9.1.2017.):

Incline bench press: 92.5 kg x 3 PR; paused: 70 kg x 5 x 3

Dumbbell seated shoulder press: 27.5 kg x 10 x 3 PR

Pendlay row: 100 kg x 5 x 2 + shugs 100 kg x 12 x 2

JM press: 50 kg x 5 x 3
superset
Ez bar biceps curl: 50 kg x 5; x 4; x 3
superset
Bent over row: 60 kg x 10 x 2
superset
Shrugs: 60 kg x 12 x 2

Incline bench abs: 20 x 2 (paused reps)

Great workout, everything felt good.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today's training (11.1.2017.):

Front squat: 100 kg x 3 PR; paused: 80 kg x 3 x 3 PR

Conventional deadlift: 
130 kg x 3 x 3 

45° hyperextension: bw x 20 x 3

Standing abs: heavy x 10-12 x 3

Feeling really strong on front squats, probably the strongest I've ever been. After the deadlift, I was planning to do heavy reverse hyper, but on the first warm up rep I felt a very sharp pain in my quadratus lumborum or erector, can't pinpoint it, and just stopped instantly. Did some bodyweight hyperextensions to get some stretch and blood in the muscle, some abs and called it a day.

 

Edited by Aleksandar Milosevic
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today's training (13.1.2017.):

Wide(r) grip bench press: 92.5 kg x 10 PR; x 7; x 5;
Illegal wide bench press: 70 kg x 10

Wide grip pull ups: 12, 10, 10
Pulldowns: 12 x 2 (moderate weight) 

Front raise: 10 kg x 10 x 3
superset
Lateral raise: 10 kg x 10 x 3
superset
Rear delt fly machine: 45 kg x 12 x 3

Standing dumbbell biceps curl: 12.5 kg x 12 x 3 (3 second negative)
superset
One handed triceps extension: 5 plates x 12 x 2, 5p x 15

Roman chair abs: 15 x 3

2.5 kg bench pr on a 10 rep set - in a week. Won't say no more.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today's training (15.1.2017.):

Speed squat: 77.5 kg x 2 x 10 (5 sets high, 5 sets low bar)

Power snatch: 50 kg x 1 x 30-40

Hack squat: 170 kg x 10;
Drop set: 220 kg x 10 + 170 kg x 10 + 120 kg x 10 + 70 kg x 10

Reverse hyper: 20 kg x 15 x 3

Lying leg raise: 20 x 3 PR

Technique on the snatch is getting better and better, the only problem is that 60 kg feels 2x as heavy than 50 kg and my form breaks down completely, I need a lot more quality reps with 50 kg, that's why I went crazy on them today. Hack squat drop set was just hell on Earth. My core is getting seriously strong.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today's training (16.1.2017.):

Rack press: 100 kg x 3; 105 kg x 3 PR; 107.5 kg x 3 PR

Rolling thunder (paused at the top): 45 kg x 10 x 3 PR
superset
Incline dumbbell press: 27.5 kg x 15 x 2; 32.5 kg x 10;

Weighted chin up pyramid: 10 kg x 5; 20 kg x 3; 30 kg x 3; 25 kg x 3; 20 kg x 5; 15 kg x 5; 10 kg x 8; bw x 10

Dips: 12 x 4

PR's left and right, everything went great, even though I really wasn't up for training today, slept only for about 3 hours, but I'm glad I didn't pussy out.

Edited by Aleksandar Milosevic
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy policies.