Sickening Metamorphosis (38 days to go)

[Mellon]

So, let's start with an introduction first and then get to the logging later.
This will be my fourth log (my 6th, if you count the inactive Fitocracy one and the one on the Westside forums, which are now broken), I am beginning to feel like an attention whore

Anyway, I have been inactive for so long and before that active for so little a time, let's take it from the start.
Started training in 2007/08, soon got into powerlifting and did some strongman and Olympic lifting on the side.
The first few (many) years I trained with a shitty program and/or not much dedication, so they were wasted.
Got up to some okay numbers though.

Early last year I decided to cut because I was way to fat (which I have continued to do every now and then).
Got down from 87 kg (191) to 74 kg (163, competition weight) but shed about 19 kg (42 lbs) of fat in the process.
At about that time I also started to train the Westside way, which, from a training point of view, is the best thing I ever did.

Goals for the near future:
- 250 kg (551 lbs) deadlift
- 200 kg (441 lbs) squat
- a bench that is not ridiculous

- win this year's RAW nationals (IPF and GRAWA)
- and break/set some national records (also IPF and GRAWA)

Goals for the intermediate and far future:
- all time record total of 775 kg with 275/200/300 (1708 lbs with 606/441/661) at 82,5 kg (181). the squat would be an all-time record for drug tested powerlifting
- national record log lift of 125 kg (275 lbs) in the 90 kg (198 lbs) weight class
- some decent numbers in Olympic lifting, qualifying for the national team would be nice but 360 kg sounds impossible to me

How do I train?
Pretty standard Westside template.
Monday - ME lower body movement, then 3-5 bodybuilding movements
Tuesday - ME upper body movement, then bodybuilding
Thursday - speed squat, speed deadlift, then bodybuilding
Saturday - speed bench, then moar bodybuilding

Also I have ranging from 4-8 GPP sessions per week. Meaning that I do some extra work (for recovery, bodybuilding and/or conditioning) in a time span from 15-30 minutes. This is a must, if training the Westside way! Otherwise you will be sore for too long and not be fully recovered in time for the big sessions.

Some personal bests:
165 kg (364 lbs) squat
110 kg (242 lbs) bench
230 kg (507 lbs) deadlift

100 kg (220 lbs) log lift
110 kg (252 lbs) clean and jerk
85 kg (187 lbs) snatch
300 kg (661 lbs) farmers deadlift

And some video proof and pictures to top it off and show off a little

[Mellon]

Well, that was longer than anticipated
Btw, I am 21 years old and thus still competing in the junior category.

+ I am studying geo-sciences (aspiring to be a paleontologist) and may soon earn some extra money as a strength coach at my university

[C.O.]

Nice videos and progress pics, some big lifts, nice work!

[Scott Shetler]

Mellon - great log! Glad to see someone else who follows a Westside approach to training! I am no longer a competitive powerlifter, when I was competing I was weighing around 230 lbs (usually competed as a lighter 220 though) and had best lifts of 450/315/463 (lbs). I weigh 180 lbs now and do some competing in kettlebell sport (more of a strength/power endurance sport) but still utilize a Westside style template. I noticed you train your two max effort days together-do you feel that a max lower session affects your max upper session the next day? My split used to be M-ME lower, Tu-ME upper, Th-DE lower, F-DE upper; then a while back JL Holdsworth (who used to lift at Westside) answered a QA I posted to him about this split and suggested I go: M-DE lower, T-ME upper, Th-ME lower, F-DE upper. Pairing the workouts up so that a ME and DE workout occur together helped my recovery tremendously when I had to switch to a M/Tu/Th/F schedule.

Great log-looking forward to seeing your progress! All the best to you!

-Scott

[Mellon]

So this session was on saturday at "Silberrücken" (silver back) in Dortmund. That's the club I am competing for in the IPF.

Woke up in an awful state, feeling like I wouldn't lift jack shit today. Gulped down some good dose of caffeine, remembered that I am not going to be a sissy and went on my way to Dortmund.

Dynamic Effort Lower Body
Ultra Wide Sumo Box Squat + chains
10 x bw
10 x bar
5 x 20 kg (45 lbs)
5 x 40 kg (88 lbs)
3 x 60 kg (132 lbs)
2 x 80 kg (176 lbs)
9 x 2 x 95 kg (210 lbs)
2 x 105 kg (232 lbs)
2 x 115 kg (254 lbs)
2 x 125 kg (275 lbs)
2 x 135 kg (298 lbs)
Fast and explosive, better than expected. But had some back rounding/rocking back on the box going on in the later sets, which is a big no no. Anyway, didn't expect this much weight to be that easy.


Sumo Speed Pull + chains
3 x 110 kg (242 lbs)
6 x 1 x 160 kg (352 lbs)
1 x 170 kg (374 lbs)
1 x 180 kg (396 lbs)
Heavy! But moving okay, I guess. Technique is still not back to my best.

Leg Press + Calf Raise
8 x 50 kg + 8 x 50 kg (110 lbs)
8 x 100 kg + 8 x 100 kg (220 lbs)
8 x 150 kg + 8 x 150 kg (330 lbs)
8 x 190 kg + 8 x 190 kg (418 lbs)
9 x 230 kg + 8 x 230 kg (507 lbs) PB
Good. And hard!

Leg Curl
10, 8, 6 x 40 kg (88 lbs)
10 breaths between sets.

Landmine
10 x 20 kg (44 lbs) per side
2 x 10 x 30 kg (66 lbs) per side
Having a hard time hitting both sides equally.

Time: 65 minutes

[Mellon]

Dynamic Effort Upper Body
Speed Bench + chains
warmup
9 x 3 x 65 kg (143 lbs)
3 x 75 kg (165 lbs)
2 x 3 x 85 kg (187 lbs)
Awful bench, wrong music and too much weight. So I got pissed off and just did it. Result was quite pleasing.


45° Incline DB Bench
2 x 15 x 10 kg (22 lbs)
Tricep/elbow warmup.

Reverse Grip Bench
6 x 60 kg (132 lbs)
6 x 70 kg (154 lbs)
6 x 80 kg (176 lbs)
I need a spotter for this. Unracking it yourself is a pain. Was planned as a tricep/lat movement but fatigued the anterior delts quite well.


Decline DB Tricep Rollback
10 x 10 kg (22 lbs)
3 x 10 x 18 kg (40 lbs)
10 breaths between sets. A little bit of progress (+ .5 kg/1 lb and + 3 reps).

Chest Supported Row
8 x 20 kg (44 lbs)
8 x 40 kg (88 lbs)
8, 6 (or 8?) x 60 kg (132 lbs)
+ dropset 6 x 40 kg (88 lbs), 10 x 20 kg (44 lbs)
5 kilos (11 lbs) plus but less volume.

Bent Over Chain Rear Delts
10 x 1 chain per side
5 x 8 x 2 chains per side
10 breaths between sets.

Seated DB Power Clean
10 x 10 kg (22 lbs)
10 x 12 kg (26 lbs)
10 x 14 kg (31 lbs)

Time: 55 minutes
That day went better than expected. Kinda improved on most movements. Good.

Did have some bad shoulder pain a few hours later. Was completely gone 2 days later though.

[Mellon]

Thanks for the welcoming words, guys

Concerning my lifting schedule, ofttimes I just have to make do. My training partners at home (I mainly lift in my own home gym) all have their occupations and some do other sports. Also, we all study but we study different subjects, so it is hard to find a time for everyone to train together. + the club in Dortmund is closed on sundays and the one in Soest (Olympic weightlifting club) is only open 3 days of a week for about 2 hours. But I don't think it has ever affected me in a bad way. Last week I was forced to do 2 sessions on a single day (within 3 hours start to finish) and it worked rather well, I think.

All depends on your level of GPP I think (which I should try to raise again, come to think of it).

[Mellon]

Speaking of which, I did this on sunday, I believe:
GPP Upper Body
Narrow Grip Pull Up
warmup
22

Red Band Tricep Extension
70

Would have done lower body GPP, too but the shoulder pain was too bad to even lift my right arm above parallel to the floor. And on the day before a main session I don't do GPP for that bodypart anymore. Some pain was still there on sunday evening, that's why I kept this session very short.

But now I'm fine

[Mellon]

Max Effort Lower Body
Concentric Good Morning
warmup
2 x 80 kg (176 lbs)
1 x 100 kg (220 lbs)
1 x 120 kg (264 lbs)
1 x 130 kg (286 lbs)
1 x 140 kg PB (308 lbs)
1 x 145 kg PB (319 lbs)
Not sure how deep I used to set this up. So from now on it will be the 6th hole from the bottom.


Band Morning
warmup
3 x 10 x 2 black bands & 1 green band

Weighted Glute Ham Raise
warmup
3 x 8 x 20 kg (44 lbs)

Sit Ups in GHR Bench
warmup
5 x 10 x 25 kg (55 lbs)

[Mellon]

Tuesday:
Max Effort Bench
Floor Press
warmup
3 x 90 kg (198 lbs)
3 x 100 kg (220 lbs)
3 x 105 kg (231 lbs)
1 x 110 kg PB (242 lbs)
Failed the 2nd rep. This may be a PB in weight, my previous 3 x 107,5 is better though. So I think I am not at my best.


Skullcrusher
10 x 30 kg (66 lbs)
10 x 40 kg (88 lbs)
8 x 55 kg (121 lbs) + 10 x 55 kg (121 lbs) CG bench with elbows tucked in all the way
Had some severe elbow pain, so I decided not to do any more sets of skullcrushers. Also kept it light on the stuff that followed.

Plate Front Raise + Narrow Grip Pull Up + Band Pull Apart
warmup
2 x 10 x 10 kg (22 lbs) + 2 x 8 + 2 x 10 x blue band
10 x 10 kg (22 lbs) (+ static hold) + 8 + 20 x blue band
Nonstop. Less resistance but no pauses at all to give the system a break while still reaching a certain point of exhaustion.

Time: 60-70 minutes



GPP Lower Body
Bodyweight GHR
55 (30 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 10) in 4 minutes
Wow!

Bodyweight Sit Ups in GHR Bench
60 (30 + 10 + 10 + 10) in 4 minutes
Not really muscle failure. Just couldn't breath/had a hard time continuing in the end. This is an awesome exercise though. Abs, obliques, hips and even quads to a certain extend. You guys gotta try this, if you can.

And after that DeFranco's Limber 11.

[Mellon]

Wednesday:
GPP Upper Body
Red Band Tricep Extension
5 x 50
Just for regeneration.

[Mellon]

Thursday:
Did some part of DeFranco's Limber 11 and after that:

Dynamic Effort Lower Body
Ultra Wide Safety Bar Sumo Box Squat + blue bands
warmup
9 x 2 x 85 kg (187 lbs)
2 x 95 kg (209 lbs)
2 x 2 x 105 kg (231 lbs)
Did try the new belt on a few sets. Not sure how much it helps/if it really helps the standing up at all. I do feel more stable in any case. Technique wasn't very pretty, some lower back rounding and rolling going on.


Conventional Speed Pull + red band
3 x 70 kg (154 lbs)
3 x 90 kg (198 lbs)
6 x 1 x 120 kg (264 lbs)
1 x 130 kg (286 lbs)
1 x 140 kg (308 lbs)
First time doing KK's technique the right way, I think. Worked well. Good speed.


Bent Leg Good Morning
warmup
5 x 10 x 80 kg (176 lbs)
Quite deep.

Band Leg Curl
warmup
10 x green band
10 x green band & blue band
4 x 10 x green band & red band
+ dropset 10 x green band, 10 x blue band, 10 x red band

Weighted Side Plank
1 minute per side x 5 kg (11 lbs)
1 minute per side x 10 kg (22 lbs)

Time: 90-100 minutes
First time using the same plan for 4 people (with 3 profoundly different strength levels). Plus I had to coach 2 of them and completely instruct the new guy (who seems to have no real experience whatsoever). But I see potential in some of them. Will work on making them good lifters and good training partners.
From there on MS Barbell will grow.

[Mellon]

GPP Lower Body
Band Morning
warmup
5 x 20 x black band

Band Leg Curl
warmup
3 x 20 x green band

Weighted Plank
1 minute x bodyweight
1 minute x 25 kg (55 lbs)
30 seconds x training partner

[Mellon]

Shoulda done dynamic effort training in Dortmund today but totally forgot about it and just remembered when it was too late to go there. So just a little GPP session today and will do the main session on monday.

GPP Upper Body
Strict Barbell Row + DB Lateral Raise + Barbell Shrug
5 x 10 x 65 kg (143 lbs) + 5 x 12 x 8,5 kg (19 lbs) + 5 x 15 x 65 kg (143 lbs)

Plate Overhead Tricep Extension
15 x 10 kg (22 lbs)
3 x 15 x 20 kg (44 lbs)

EZ Bar Curl
2 x 21 x 25 kg (55 lbs)
7 lower part of the ROM, 7 upper part of it and 7 full ROM. Like Coleman. Just wanted to try them out.

[Mellon]

So (hopefully) max effort safety bar squats coming up tomorrow and chain bench + pumpgasm on monday. Psyched!

(yeah, this is a thing I'm doing. logs are boring, so additionally to all the vids I post music)