Electron Posted May 28, 2013 Author Share Posted May 28, 2013 5/25: Max Deadlift attempts Went to visit my friend who's a great deadlifter. I brought over my homemade axle and some nose salts and we gave it a whirl. I hit 210 (bar not couned) on my axle, but was unable to do anything more because we lacked small plates. Also tried regular DO deads, and I tried wearing a belt and sniffing some ammonia. Hit 265 with the proper abdominal pressure, and went for 275. Got it. My friend is coming back from a layoff but was nevertheless able to hit 445, only narrowly missing 515. And before I forget, we pulled all these from a 1" deficit due to his platform being lower on the sides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electron Posted May 28, 2013 Author Share Posted May 28, 2013 My starting strength program has officially come to an end. I will max in squats, and then post my totals and improvements. Very much looking forward to seeing the numbers that reflect your progress. Thanks Eric, and for all the help and pointers you gave me on the way. Although the program was cut a week or two short, I'll be cycling this again once I'm in a new apartment in a month. I'll be keeping up the pull ups though, because I'm still seeing very consistent progress in that. About to go kill BW+70#s for 3x5 right now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electron Posted May 30, 2013 Author Share Posted May 30, 2013 5/27: Weighted Pull Ups Warm up: BWx5, BWx5, 15x5, 30x3, 45x2 Working: 65x5(too fast), 65x5(Chin low/bar slippery), 65x5(chalked up, done as 2, 2, 1), BWx10 Note: Nose tork used to see how it affects my pull ups. Went too fast at first, but got good ROM after initial set. Actual weight was 70#s for working sets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electron Posted June 2, 2013 Author Share Posted June 2, 2013 7/1: Marine Corps Fitness Test Not joining the Marines, but just wanted to check my current fitness level out of interest. Tested: max reps pull ups, 2-min crunches, 3 Mile run for time. Competed against my roommate in all categories. Pull ups (Perfect score: 20) Felt pretty confident about these. Haven't tested lately for max reps, but thought I'd be able to get about 25 reps. Did them extremely strict, and 10 reps in, no fatigue. 15 reps in, started feeling my lats. 20 reps in, my pull ups became a compound movement. Finished in at 22. Not as many as expected, but 20 is a perfect score. Crunches, 2 minutes (Perfect score: 100) My friend pushes me to do ab work to be able to pull more weight in the axle. I should've listened to him. First 20 went down easily, then worked to 40 slowly, and finally, finished in with 45 with a struggle. A far shot from the 100 I wanted to get. 3 Mile Run (Perfect score: 18 mins) I wasn't too confident about this since I don't run at all. Nevertheless, I thought 3 miles would be easy to do and went in expecting to breeze through. I stopped before the 1 mile mark. The rest of the time, I walked for most of the way. Felt miserable and wanted to quit. Labored through it but still wasn't motivated enough to run it. My mind is too weak. I need more resolve, especially because I know my body can run the 3 miles. My mind was just telling me to stop. 42 minutes. Absolutely pathetic. Total Got 145 out of 300 possible points. I didn't even qualify for the most unfit Class 3. My roommate even got 150. It was a big eye opener for me, and I think I'll focus on my weaknesses immediately so I can change this. My mind needs the most work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricMilfeld Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 That's very cool that you tried out the Marine Corps challenge. Excellent on those pullups!!! Running, yeah you have to train it, that's all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mephistopholes Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Oh, running... No thank you. Haha Good work dude! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electron Posted June 4, 2013 Author Share Posted June 4, 2013 Thanks guys. Eric, I bet you'd still have a really fast time running a mile or three. I'm scouring sports shops to get the last bit of my home gym together. Pinched 4/10s easy with no warm up or chalk today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electron Posted June 4, 2013 Author Share Posted June 4, 2013 Also, just got a pair of squat stands. I haven't been doing any squats, and I can't have that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electron Posted June 7, 2013 Author Share Posted June 7, 2013 And... squat stands came in the mail! I'm greasing the groove doing 3 reps at 131 for 10 sets scattered throughout the day. A few days of this, and I should be back to where I was, and be used to squatting with an axle and all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electron Posted June 8, 2013 Author Share Posted June 8, 2013 Sore today. Other lifts from yesterday: Axle clean 131#s- Missed through many attempts. Just haven't practiced the movement. Press 101#s- New PR from 85. One handed Axle DL 131#s- easy air, never locked out fully though. Probably can do it fresh. Squat 155#s- missed many times. New goal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrush Posted June 8, 2013 Share Posted June 8, 2013 131 is a solid one-hand Axle deadlift at your weight. Aren't you around 140-150lbs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electron Posted June 8, 2013 Author Share Posted June 8, 2013 @Ben: Thanks! And I'm 127. Also, my axle is a 1.9" OD pipe. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrush Posted June 8, 2013 Share Posted June 8, 2013 @Ben: Thanks! And I'm 127. Also, my axle is a 1.9" OD pipe. Well, in that case, 131 is very good! What is your hand length? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electron Posted June 8, 2013 Author Share Posted June 8, 2013 I'm thin but pretty long. Hands are an average 7.5. Left is closer to 7.75. If I train myself to keep my hands closed with more force (only pulled axle a number of times) I think 150 will be a piece of cake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electron Posted June 10, 2013 Author Share Posted June 10, 2013 Rock climbing today. Hands are a bit worked though. Also, cleaned 126 when testing for max. I'll call that bodyweight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electron Posted June 13, 2013 Author Share Posted June 13, 2013 STARTING STRENGTH: RESULTS BW Before: 127 After: 128 Bench Before: 146 After: 167 Squat Before: 130 After: 155 Deadlift Before: 246 DO After: 275 DO (With belt+Tork) Press (Not part of my program) Before: 85 After: 101 Clean (Not part of my program) Before: 100 After: 126 Pull Up (Max not yet tested) Before: 206lbs total (127+79lbs), 8 reps with a plate After: 5 reps with 70lbs Note: Back injury shortened the program. Still making good gains on the pull ups so will continue the same scheme and train those hard. I realized that my squats were not of adequate depth, so am training them properly and more often now. I'll have another go at this program starting in a week, and will incorporate more exercises, especially like the press and the clean, which I omitted from my first round. BW stayed the same, and I wanted to gain strength, not size, so that's fine. But now I'd like to bulk up a few pounds. Goals for the second round: BW: 145 Bench: 200 Squat: 220 (Will train for this on 20rep program for first 4 weeks) Deadlift: 325 DO, 300 on axle Press: 135 Clean: 190 Pull Up: 240 total Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricMilfeld Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 Excellent progress, Yori. How long will your next cycle last? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electron Posted June 13, 2013 Author Share Posted June 13, 2013 120 days, or 12 "weeks" that are 10 days each. Also, ran a mile in 8mins today. I'll try faster next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mephistopholes Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 Training the squats from the bottom position is a good say to eliminate the issue of not going to depth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mephistopholes Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 And if you're aiming for mass... Hise shrugs after the squats work. Haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electron Posted June 13, 2013 Author Share Posted June 13, 2013 Yeah, bottom position squats suck. My rack doesn't really allow it though, the structure gets in the way. I've learned where bottom is though, so now it's a non-issue. I've noticed you doing a lot of hide shrugs. I think it's time for me to look it up to find out what it is. PS. Making a program is pretty confusing. I feel for ya, Bobby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mephistopholes Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 Haha yes it is confusing, especially when you got a lot of stuff you want to do. The hise shrugs are great. Look up Joseph Curtis Hise, and also look up Brooks kubik's blog, because he explains how they work on there. It's not "just" a trap exercise, it works just about everything. First time I did it, I was surprised to find my Lats and abs were as sore as my traps... Whats interesting is, when done right, theyre supposed to strengthen the lungs as much as anything, because youre supposed to breath deep as you do them, instead of between repa. They're also great because they don't take a hell of a lot of time. Follow them with a set of light pullovers and you're good. Hise himself is pretty interesting. Apparently he is the guy who put heavy high rep squats on the map, and he devised this "ribcage expansion" routine focusing on squats and hise shrugs. A bit of advice though: Do them with the axle. A normal bar will skin your neck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electron Posted June 15, 2013 Author Share Posted June 15, 2013 Thanks man, tried them the other day and I should increase the weight and try again. I'll look up Kubik's blog to check it out. I think I got a program on my hands: Day 1) 20 rep Squats, Presses Day 2) Day 3) Running, Rolling Thunder Day 4) 20 rep squats, Bench Press Day 5) Axle DL, Weighted Pull Ups Day 6) Day 7) 20 rep Squats, Presses Day 8) Day 9) Running, Grippers Day 10) Axle Cleans, Weighted Pull Ups Think that's a pretty simple and effective plan to follow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electron Posted June 17, 2013 Author Share Posted June 17, 2013 RT Max: 6/16 This is the starting point of my serious RT training. L: 95#s R: 92.5#s I'm looking forward to gains in this lift, and will reach a max lift of 135 with both hands within the program I will do starting in a week. I'm thinking this will carry over to the axle. If my hands can support 135 on a 2.375" handle, 150 on a 2" handle should be no problem. Along with this, I'll be strengthening my back to enable a greater axle pull. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electron Posted June 21, 2013 Author Share Posted June 21, 2013 Moved boxes for the last few days, my body aches. On the plus side, I'm living in a new place complete with a mini-storage turned gym. I'm working on getting it furnished with a ceiling light and a fan, so I can actually use it. Also, a bench is in the works. Squats tomorrow if my legs don't kill me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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