TallCanz

You should try competing. It's pretty crazy how much more you get out of the adrenaline when you're standing in front of a room full of people. I'll bet you could already do each of these lifts.

I have to work again tomorrow so I had to squat and bench tonight. Buffalo Bar Bar x 10 145 x 10 235 x 5 325 x 5 375 x 3 395 x 3 Bench Bar x 10 95 x 10 135 x 5 185 x 3 225 x 3 275 x 1 Add shirt 385 x 1/2 rep 2 Board 425 x 1 1.5 Board 445 x 1 1 Board 455 x 1 465 x 1 ATG paused squats 145 x 5 x 2 195 x 5 x 2 235 x 4 285 x 4 BB rows 185 x 10 x 4

Boring accessorizing day Straight Bar, underhand cable rows 120 x 10 x 4 Calf raise 185 x 12 x 4 Hip ad/ab 130 x 12 x 2 DB row 50 x 15 x 4 Hip curl 100 x 12 x 2 Standing crunches black band 30 x 4 EZ curl 75 x 10 x 4 Hyper extension 90 x 10 x 4 Prowler push + 70 lbs. x 75 yards x 4

Dynamic benching Bar x 12 95 x 10 135 x 8 185 x 5 185 + 40 lbs. chains x 3 x 5 185 + 80 lbs. chains x 3 x 2 185 + 120 lbs. chains x 3 x 2 Drop set 185 x 15 OH Press 95 x 10 125 x 5 145 x 5 165 x 3 - should have gone for five, but this was sort of straining at this point so I didn't feel like hurting myself BB Shrugs w/ straps 225 x 10 315 x 10 365 x 10 405 x 10 x 2 DB incline press 60 x 20 x 2 EZ Press Down Bar on cable 75 x 10 x 3 DB lateral raise 25 x 10 x 3 Forearm work Prowler push + 50 lbs. x 75 yards x 12

Deadlifting this afternoon. Came in determined and feeling good about getting a good PR from the floor today. The progress over the past few weeks lead me to believe that I should skip out on trying to pull from 1" from the floor and just go for the gusto, so to speak. I'm happy that I did. 135 x 10 x 2 225 x 5 Add belt 315 x 5 Add suit, straps up 365 x 3 - felt great! No discomfort and I felt like I was in the right position. 405 x 3 - Took video and my back was in a correct, neutral position throughout the duration of the pull. 455 x 1 - Easy 495 x 1 - Very pleased with how this felt. No discomfort in my lower back. My upper back had a slight curve to it, but that can be expected with heavier weight. My raw max is 485, so it felt great to be going a little heavier. With the ease that the weight came up, I figured I had a little more in the tank so I talked to my friend Chris who was taking the video and decided to go heavier. 525 - failed a lockout. Had I just pushed my hips forward about an inch, I would have had this! Frustrating, but there is still time to improve. I ripped the weight off of the floor and it moved quickly all the way up until that point so I decided to go again. Due to technical difficulties, I didn't get this one on video. 525 - failed again but this time a little bit shorter than lockout. Here's the video of the slightly slower, slightly more embarrassing attempt - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8H_Wco1dEw&feature=plcp The way that the suits are designed will give you the support off of the bottom, but right at about 3" off of the floor is where I stop benefiting from them. It's a great way to build up some momentum, but this was an eye opening experience. I've been neglecting rack pulls for quite some time now so I really need to get back into pulling out of the rack in order to gain some lockout strength. Some hip work and getting a little stronger, more voluptuous butt will probably help. I doubt the girlfriend will mind either. Luckily there is still time. With the way that everything moved prior to the lockout, I am going to try to shoot for 525 being my second attempt at the February meet. Low (2" below parallel) raw box squats with Safety Squat Bar. These are a great way to develop hip strength, which like I said, I clearly need to develop. 145 x 2 x 2 Add grey bands + 150 lbs. at top and 70 lbs. at bottom 145 + bands x 2 x 2 195 + bands x 2 x 4 Barbell rows 135 x 10 185 x 8 205 x 8 225 x 8 Standing crunches w/ black band 30 x 4

They're both old suits from the sponsored pros at the gym that have since received new equipment. The suit that I'm using to deadlift in now is from my friend Jo. He gave it to me to borrow about a month or so ago. I'm still breaking it in and learning how to use it, but I think with some serious practice and attention to GHR's and hip strength, I can probably pull some serious weight. I like the suits personally. They have a lot of carry over to the raw work as well. It's a great way to overload yourself and get your CNS adapted to handing a greater amount of weight. There's a lot of work that goes into using them though. It's not just throwing on a suit and being able to squat an additional 100 kilos that night, haha. What kind of suit are you getting? I'm using an Metal ProSquater to squat, Metal Jacked squat suit to deadlift, and a Metal Ace bench shirt for.. benching, haha. The plan right now is to do this Push-Pull competition at the gym and compete in the bench only portion at the end of this month. Hoping to hit 500 lbs for an 80 lb. PR. I'll be doing a full power meet at the end of February as well.

This is often the case for me, do you normally do a fair bit of accessory work? I try to do my main lift and then another big, multi-joint lift as an accessory exercises afterwards that would benefit the big lift of the day. If I squat, I'll usually do either front squats, good mornings, snatch grip deadlifts, stiff legged deadlifts, or speed pulls. If I'm benching, I'll usually do some sort of overhead press or higher rep (~5) board work. If I'm deadlifting, either raw speed pulls, RDL's, low-box squats, or high rep (~20) ATG squats. After all of that, I'll usually try to throw in 2-3 additional assistance exercises if I have the time.

Congratulations! Doing big things! Glad to hear that you're already back in the trenches and putting in work. That's some serious dedication.

Yes! Awesome job, man! I can't wait to see the video!

Squats and benching because I have to work too late to make it in with the team tomorrow. Mastadon Bar x 10 145 x 10 235 x 5 325 x 3 Add stupid orange suit, straps down 415 x 3 465 x 3 505 x 3 I left my usual suit at home so I had to use the one that I usually use to deadlift. The reason that I like it to deadlift is the same reason why it's not great for squatting. It provides very little support through the hips. Oh well. On to benching. Bar x 10 135 x 10 185 x 5 225 x 3 275 x 1 Add shirt 385 1/2 rep 425 x 1 to 1 1/2 board 445 x 1 to 1 board 455 x 1 to 1 board http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWlUfb7C0Ds&feature=plcp Wide pull downs 165 x 8 x 4 Cybex ab machine 120 x 15 x 4 I was spent afterwards so I cut it short on accessory work.

How much are you weighing? Deadlift and pressing are looking pretty damn strong!

It may have felt tough, but you made it look easy!

This man is the true meaning of determination. Your transformation is absolutely insane!

Hatebreed, 100 Demons, Trapped Under Ice, Ringworm, Integrity, old Metallica, old Blacklisted, Blood for Blood, Xibalba, and stuff like that are typically what I'll be throwing on when the going gets tough.

Frat boy training a.k.a. accessory work Leverage rows 135 x 10 x 4 Hi then lo band twist with minis x 15 x 4 Calf press 315 x 15 x 4 Hip ad/ab 130 x 12 x 2 Standing crunches black band 30 x 4 DB hammer curls 50 x 10 x 4 Neck extensions 25 x 12 x 4 Hip flexor curl 90 x 12 x 2 Prowler push 100 lbs. x 75 yds. x 4 (30 second rest) I stepped on the scale today and weighed in at a lean 266.. strange after having my roommates girlfriend tell me that it looks like I'm losing weight. At any rate, I bought a horse mask and I want to get a picture of me wearing it while I squat. I'll throw that up here as soon as that happens.

Benching Bar x 15 95 x 12 135 x 10 185 x 5 225 x 3 255 x 3 265 x 3 275 x 3 Drop set(s) 205 x 10 x 2 OH Press 135 x 5 x 3 DB Tri Extensions 40 x 8 x 4 BB Front raise 65 x 8 x 4 DB shrugs 125 x 15 x 4 Forearm work

I felt like I could have done more after 495, but since that was my goal I figured that I had put in my work for the day. My training partner John said that I should have gone up to 545, then 585 for singles, but I didn't want to tempt fate since my hips were sore from trudging through the sand. The hike was well worth it though!

2" block pulls w/ suit 495 x 3. Big PR for me.

Pulling today. I decided to just go for the throat on this one and stop using the rubber plates to add distance between the bar and the floor. Today I just pulled from blocks (~2") and I'm happy that I did. My hips are sore from a seven mile hike I did yesterday, but I managed. 135 x 10 225 x 8 Add belt 315 x 5 Add stupid orange suit, straps up 365 x 3 (wanted to make sure this felt okay and didn't have trouble getting down to the bar) 405 x 3 455 x 3 495 x 3 This was a big PR and I'm extremely happy about how easy it was. Speed pulls, straps down 365 x 5 x 2 Narrow pull down 165 x 6 x 4 One arm row (cable machine) 90 x 6 x 4 Standing crunches w/ black band 30 x 4 Prowler pushes w/ 100 lbs. x 40 yards (estimate) x 6 (30 second rest)

It's the only way to learn, really. Try as we might, you can never fully see everything that someone else will so it's always great to get feedback. Having people tell me what I do right and wrong is the only way that I've been able to progress.

Did some accessory stuff today. Occasionally I'll add these days in when I miss some of the stuff that I normally like to do because I'm short on time. Bent over cable rows 90 x 12 x 4 Smith machine elevated calf presses 315 x 10 x 4 Abductor/Adductor machine 120 x 12 x 2 EZ bar curls 75 x 10 x 4 Fat bar narrow grip underhand row 120 x 10 x 4 Cybex ab machine 120 x 12 x 4 Neck extensions with 25 lb. plate 10 x 3 (I'm not stopping until I have a 19" neck) Forearm work For those Americans out there, Happy Thanksgiving! For everyone else, I hope you all have a great weekend and get to see everyone you love!

Super solid! Being a powerlifter definitely makes you a little more creative with your workouts and set ups, haha. That's similar to what I have except that I have 2" blocks and then throw a rubber plate on top. You have to work with what you have. One thing that I noticed about your setup, and this could just be because of the angle or because you were pulling from blocks, was that your arms were limp before pulling and as a result it looks like you might have had to fight the weight twice. I used to have this problem a lot before someone pointed it out. If you grab the bar and pull yourself down toward it, it'll set your shoulders back and pull the slack out of the bar. This isn't as much of an issue until you get to big boy weight like you're doing now. If you watch the video it's less apparent on the first attempt than it is on the second, but you can hear the initial slack being rung up and then when the bar is actually set in motion. You've got all the power you need to pull something big, so I'm just wanting to see you get the most out of it! Stoked to see how you do in competition!

Here's the benching from this past Saturday. Pardon the belly.

Don't slight yourself, man! That's good weight to be throwing around! I guarantee most average people wouldn't be able to do it.

Other than getting your hips down a bit lower, like Asparagus said, I think you looked pretty solid. Your lower back was in a pretty neutral position the whole time and your shoulders were pulled back. Excellent job!