My Training Log

[Justin Reagan]

I never did keep up with the other one, so I'll just make a new one.

I'm going to lay off of bending for about a week. I seem to have problems with giving myself enough recovery time. I'll wait a day or two and just say "it's time to bend!!" without stopping to think if my wrists are up to it. The result??? Constant achiness and pain in the wrists and horrible bending workouts. Time for a week off before I hurt myself too bad. When I start back, I'll just alternate my regular workouts with my bending/tearing/levering workouts. Sometimes I'll workout 3 times a week, other times 5 or 6. Just as long as I get enough RECOVERY TIME. Such a simple concept.

Today:

Deadlift: 135x1, 225x1, 315x1, 365x1, 400x1

(for the last two sets I used a hook grip, otherwise regular overhand grip)

Shrugs: (I stink at these; I use straps to save my hands for other things)

225x5x3

Neck lift with neck harness: 90x1, 140x1, 190x1, 215x1, 225x1

Block work:

Passes from hand to hand (in front of body): 27.5x16, 13, 14, 6

Tossing (hand under weight, like shown in Brookfield's Grip Master's manual) 27.5x200

KB Snatches (each hand): 16kgx13, 13; 24kgx9

I think I'm going to do a little block work in every workout. Fun stuff.

[Justin Reagan]

Today:

Squat (high bar, all the way down, no belt, etc...)--I stink at these

135x1, 185x1, 205x1, 255x1, 280x1x3 (I'm going to stay at this weight until the singles go smoothly)

Squat walkout & 15 sec. hold

370x1x3

Military press--no matter how bad I am at squatting, these are always worse--my worst (by far) lift

45x5,95x1, 115x1, 145x1 (I've now decided I hate MP singles), 100x5, 110x5, 120x5

One arm deadlifts (weight of implement, carabiner, loading pin not included)

(Rolling thunder + loading pin)

90x1, 100x1, 120x1, 130x1

(Ring handle + loading pin)

135x1, 180x1, 225x1, 250x1, 270x1, 280x1 (actually got it with my right, barely broke off ground with left)

Block weights

27.5x29 passes, 19 passes, 6 tosses(!), 4 tosses(!)

Towel roll-ups (as shown in GMM)

2.5x4 times each hand (surprisingly easy--except for the fact that the entire towel wouldn't fit in my hand...)

DB Curl/L-flye superset (I've had some annoying aches lately)

(20/15)x10x2 (each hand)

Edited September 8, 2005 by Justin Reagan

[dadams]

i look forward to reading this so keep at it buddy

[Justin Reagan]

As long as I know somebody is reading it, it motivates me to keep posting. Soon I'm going to start back to the bending, so there will be a few more posts.

[Scott Styles]

I didn't realize you were so strong man. With that base of strength the block weight work is going to blow your hand strength through the roof.

I focused on bending for about 3 months a little over a year ago. I'm not a strong guy, so I had to progress from missing the white nail to getting the yellow with a reverse grip. By the end I was convinced that it was too hard on the shoulders and more of a feat of strength (and pain tolerance) than a great way to train.

I've just now started an approach where I focus on levering with a test bend every week or 2. Currently I'm at the level of a 7" piece of zinc plated 1/4 round. It's going to be a little bit before I get back up to the yellow level, but I'm hoping this new approach will allow me to surpass it and get a 60d, and without all the injury potential of bending all the time.

[Justin Reagan]

Now what would be REALLY strong is if all the weights listed were in kilograms!! ( Maybe one day--on some of it)

Anyway, here's what I did today. My wrists just felt pretty good.

Sledgehammer levering (8 lb hammer with 32.5" handle)

Front--3 sets of 5 (had to choke up quite far on the handle)

Back--3 sets of 5 (about halfway to the end)

Overhead, or to the nose, or whatever you want to call it, lever-- 4 singles (hand at end)

Bending (decided to go for a little volume, since I haven't bent much of anything in a week)

These aren't in order, as I just took them out of a pile and bent them, then threw them back in a pile:

TT(easy--190 lbs or so) x 14

6" x 1/4" G2 x 10

7" x 1/4" zinc plated round x1 --I remember about 6 months ago I couldn't bend even a 7.5" piece of this--now it's easy

Card tearing (here's the embarrassing part)

Gold Crown cards

x10 (quartered)

x10 (quartered)

x15 (quartered--I think I found my style--just moved my hands from the center of my body to the left side...)

x15 (with a layer of duct tape around it)

I then did some isometric work with my #000 horseshoe from TSC :-)

I then scrolled a 3' piece of 5/16" HRS. Too expensive to do much thicker pieces.

Last of all, I did gripper chest crushes--5 singles with my #3

This was a fun one.

[dadams]

good job justin

[BigT]

Now what would be REALLY strong is if all the weights listed were in kilograms!! ( Maybe one day--on some of it)

Anyway, here's what I did today. My wrists just felt pretty good.

Sledgehammer levering (8 lb hammer with 32.5" handle)

Front--3 sets of 5 (had to choke up quite far on the handle)

Back--3 sets of 5 (about halfway to the end)

Overhead, or to the nose, or whatever you want to call it, lever--  4 singles (hand at end)

Bending (decided to go for a little volume, since I haven't bent much of anything in a week)

These aren't in order, as I just took them out of a pile and bent them, then threw them back in a pile:

TT(easy--190 lbs or so) x 14

6" x 1/4" G2 x 10

7" x 1/4" zinc plated round x1 --I remember about 6 months ago I couldn't bend even a 7.5" piece of this--now it's easy

Card tearing (here's the embarrassing part)

Gold Crown cards

x10 (quartered)

x10 (quartered)

x15 (quartered--I think I found my style--just moved my hands from the center of my body to the left side...)

x15 (with a layer of duct tape around it)

I then did some isometric work with my #000 horseshoe from TSC :-)

I then scrolled a 3' piece of 5/16" HRS. Too expensive to do much thicker pieces.

Last of all, I did gripper chest crushes--5 singles with my #3

This was a fun one.

←

good all around workout

[Justin Reagan]

Deadlift

135x1, 225x1, 320x1, 370x1, 410x1 (again, hook on last two)

Shrug

235x5x3

Neck Lift

90x1, 135x1, 180x1, 225x1x3 (???)

I didn't get the weight as stable as I wanted it on these--it kept swinging

Block weights

Deadlift (each hand):

27.5x1

27.5 (+5) x 7 singles (weighted added as shown by Eric Godfrey's page)

8 lb. sledgehammer

Overhead lever x 5 singles each hand

KB snatch (killer on the grip after everything else)

16kg x12 each hand

24kg x8 each hand

24kg x5 each hand

Wrist roller (1" PVC pipe, held out in front)

10 lbs x 2 times each direction

DB curl

20x10x2 each hand

[Justin Reagan]

Squat

135x1, 185x1, 205x1, 255x1x3, 265x1x3, 275x1x3

(wanted to do a bit more volume)

Military press

95x5, 105x5, 125x5

One arm DL

(rolling thunder) 90x1, 100x1, 115x1, 125x1, 130x1(just with right hand)

(ring) 135x1, 180x1, 225x1, 280x1

Block weight

27.5x9,5,5 tosses

Bending (still not anything really hard, just wanted to make it a couple days a week)

(DU)

TTx2, 6" x 1/4" G2x5

(Rev)

TTx5

(DO, hands at abdomen)

30d common x5, 20d common x3 (these 30d's and 20d's are actually EASY now--I did these as fast as I could wrap them)

Towel roll-ups

2.5x3 times each hand

DB curl

20x10x2 each hand

[Scott Styles]

Good workout. It's interesting to see someone training all 3 bending styles at once.

I gotta ask, cause I keep wondering. Why are your dumbell curls only 20lbs per hand? I would expect someone squatting what you are to be using 35 or 40lbs per hand.

[Justin Reagan]

I just added the light curls because my arms have been aching a little lately. I had a couple hard armwrestling matches a couple weeks ago. Every time I do that, my arms get pretty achey for a few weeks, especially after a workout where I use them(...which is every workout). I don't armwrestle very much, but I was just challenged. I can't turn them down :-) I'm thinking maybe the curls will help stop the aches. I'm planning on adding weight, but I just want to get used to them first. My arms have been aching a lot less this past week of doing the curls.

With the bending, I'm planning on trying to have at least one time each week where I use all three styles. The other bending session will be with just my strongest style, which is DU.

Justin Reagan

[Scott Styles]

Ah, that makes sense on the curls. I thought they seemed light.

Practicing all styles of bending should balance your skills at it nicely. When you do reverse styles, do you switch up which hand anchors the nail?

[Justin Reagan]

Actually, I haven't given much thought to switching hands. I guess I should if I'm going for balance. I actually tried a TT once using the opposite grip. It was pretty tough (not maximum, though). I guess that shows that I need to work on that grip a little bit. The hand that seems to be the most natural to be the anchor is my left hand. I'm actually right handed, but recently my left hand has shown itself to be stronger in some things.

Justin Reagan

[bencrush]

The log looks great Justin! But...WHERE THE HECK ARE THE GRIPPERS?

[Justin Reagan]

ok, ok. I usually can't fit the grippers in very well with the other stuff, so I will usually work them once or twice a week by themselves. I just always forget to write it down in this log. I'm now ashamed. I'm going to walk around all day with my head down. Like this-- Of course I haven't been able to do very much with them lately because of the soreness in my thumb pad and the achiness in my fingers. Those darn block weights.

Justin Reagan

Edited September 14, 2005 by Justin Reagan

[Justin Reagan]

Grippers!!!

warm up with a couple singles with the T and #1

No set attempts with my #2: 10 attempts with each hand (8 successful with right, 2 or 3 with my left)

Negatives w/ #3: 3 times each hand

I'm getting pretty close to being able to hold it shut with my right hand. When I first started, I could barely hold it at parallel. Now I can hold it at about 1/4". I know that's still a big gap, but it definitely is closer.

#1 x10 each hand

I thought I was through, but then I realized that I had a gripper that I didn't work with: my hard #2. Closed it a couple times with a set with my right hand. Had to use my regular #2 and my #1 with my left hand. These probably weren't legal according to the "credit card" rule, but that's what my no-set closes are for.

[Justin Reagan]

Great workout today!

Bending (I tried to keep it in order):

Easy TTx1, Medium TTx1

Hot galv. 60d x1 (!!!!!)

Easy TTx1

Bright 60d xkinked (this wasn't so bad, as I actually kinked it better than before, and this was after a big PR)

Easy TTx1

Hot galv. 60d xkinked (couldn't quite get it to the point of the crushdown--tried several times)

IM Blue x2 (another PR--I've never been able to get more than one--although the second took 2 or 3 times to finally get it, I did bend it completely)

7.5" x 3/8" Aluminum x kinked (think I could've got it if I were fresh)

Sledge hammer levering

(8 lb.)

Front--4 sets of 5

Back--4 sets of 5

Tearing (still embarrassing, but I think I'm getting better)

Gold Crown cards

x12 (quartered)

x12 (quartered)

x15 (quartered)

x15 (quartered)

I then finished quartering one half of the 15 wrapped in duct tape from last week.

I then did some "horseshoe isometrics" with my #00 horseshoe from TSC.

I then found out a cheaper alternative to scrolling 3' steel bars: battling with a 12"x3/8" galvanized spike. It gives me the same "exhausted" effect after I finish. After bracing it in every way possible, I ended up kinking it really good. That was lots of fun.

Gripper Crushdowns: #3 x 7 quick singles (as in 30 sec. rest at the most )

I was surprised that the whole workout took less than an hour. I think it was 56 or 57 minutes.

[dadams]

great job justin looking good wheres the block work

[Justin Reagan]

I knew I forgot something...

I guess my thumbs needed some rest anyway. They are a little sore.

I also forgot to add that I also finished 4 pre-kinked yellows.

Justin Reagan

[Scott Styles]

The 60 penny is a big milestone. Congratulations!!!

[Justin Reagan]

Not so great workout today. Nothing felt right. Except for the block work, that is. It always feels right.

Deadlift: 135x1, 225x1, 315x1, 370x1 (hook), 420x0

Every time I train the deadlift, this is about where I fail. I don't know what it is. 410 about a week ago didn't feel like a problem at all. I couldn't even budge 420. Not even an inch.

Shrugs were just being tried out for a few weeks. I just don't feel like I'm doing myself much good when I do them--instead, I decided to have another go at that 12" spike. I bent it a little more. Not there yet, though.

Neck Lift

90x1, 135x1, 180x1, 225x1x3 Well, this was good this time

Block work

Deadlift

27.5 x2 singles each hand

27.5(+5) x2 singles each hand

27.5(+10) x8 singles right hand, 4 singles left hand. The last single with my right hand actually involved a little walk back to my back porch. About 10 or 12 feet.

Bending (not much, just wanted to see the condition of my wrists)

TT (easy)x1, TT (med)x1

All I found out was that my wrists weren't ready to bend anything hard.

KB swing

24kg x15 each hand

24kg x12 each hand

The swing feels a lot better for my purposes than the snatch. I can do swings without a pause between the reps. Something that's not easy to do with the snatch.

DB curls

26x10x2 each hand

Well, everything wasn't so bad like I was thinking. I'm just really frustrated with the deadlift. The most I've ever done with a hook grip is 425, and that was over a year and a half ago. I didn't really have any real training plan, either. I just decided to try 425 one day and I got it. 430 is the most I've ever got even with a reverse grip.

Maybe this time its doing both squats and deadlifts heavy every week, and I'm not recovering enough. Maybe I should alternate my heavy squat/deadlift workouts with my bending/tearing/etc. workouts instead of doing each once a week. Doing that, every other week I'll only do one or the other.

Justin Reagan

[Justin Reagan]

Great one today

Bending (in no particular order):

DU--

easy TT x1, med. TT x1

bright 60d x4

hard bright 60d x2

galvanized 60d x1

dull 60d xalmost (actually put a real kink in it this time, as opposed to a wobble, and this was after most of the other 60ds)

IM Blue x2 (these are getting pretty fast--I might try a 5.5" next time)

7"x1/4" CRS (hard stuff--even harder than a blue--still went quick) x2

DO (at abdomen)

30dx5

20dx2

40dxalmost

REV

easy TT x3, right hand as anchor

med TT x3, left hand as anchor

I then had another battle with the 12" spike. I bent it a little more, but not enough to crush it down yet.

Card tearing (definitely found my style--I used two decks worth of cards when I found this out--it is the "twisting" style)

Gold Crown cards

x12 (quartered)

x17 (quartered)

x25 (quartered--I found my style here)

x25 (quartered)

x29 (quartered one of the halves--then 26 cards of the other half)

"Horseshoe isometrics"

Sledgehammer levering

Back: 2 sets of 10 each hand

Twist: 2 sets of 20 (10 each way) each hand

[Justin Reagan]

This time it was a good day for everything except block work. Well, the block work wasn't so bad, considering I had an ingrown thumbnail and it was raining outside when I tried tosses.

Also, I considered my old DL pr's and came to the realization that my big DL's always came after weeks of squats and other back work. No matter how many times I try, I never get anywhere by directly training the DL. Even though the deadlift has always been my favorite full-body lift. I think I need to hang a big sign in my room saying: "Squats + back work = big DL" Maybe then I would quit spending so much time on something that doesn't work so well for me.

Squat

135x1, 185x1, 225x1, 250x1, 300x1

(what a difference a little rest can make--300 felt pretty good)

Neck Lift

135x1, 180x1, 225x1, 235x1, 250x1 (too much swinging on this one)

Military Press

Bar x5, 95x5, 105x5, 130x5

Bent-over Row

95x5, 145x5, 170x5

One arm DL

(RT)90x1, 100x1, 110x1, 125x1, 127.5x1, 132.5x1 (first PR in a long time with this)

(Ring)135x1, 180x1, 225x1, 280x1x2 (had a hard time with the second single with each hand)

Block work

DL: 27.5x1x2 each hand, 27.5 (+10) x1x7 right, 6 left

Tosses: about 3 or 4 total. (Moist Chalk + Moist dirt = Lots of Slippage)

My back porch is covered, but the tosses I have to do away from the concrete.

KB Swing

24kg x 15x2 each hand

DB curl

26x10x2 each hand

more comments later, realized we have a tornado warning for the town about 5 miles away.

Justin

[Justin Reagan]

Did some light bending today. My wrists didn't feel like they were up to a full bending/tearing workout, but I figured they could take a few light bends. Does this sound like a good idea?

easy TT x7

med TT x3

6" G2 x1 --this one felt too hard--quit there

I then did some thumb work--a set of 100 squeezes each hand with my little clamp.

Then some hand extensions--3 total sets of 50 with a rubber band (it broke before I did the second set with my right hand), 1 set of 50 with light resistance from my other hand (to make up for the broken band), and 1 set of 50 each hand with tougher resistance from the other hand.

Within 1 or 2 more days or so I'll probably be ready for some tough bending.

I've also been trying out some of the strange hand recovery methods mentioned on these boards. Contrast baths and wearing gloves to bed. These things actually feel like they will work. Go figure.

Justin Reagan