TallCanz

Dynamic benching today. Bar x 15 95 x 15 135 x 12 185 x 8 225 x 5 x 5 Did some pressing off of boards afterwards. My friend John started an equipment line and gave the gym his A Series Boards. It's pretty convenient when you don't have enough people to spot and hold the boards. http://www.ironlandequipment.com/ Sorry about plugging all of my friends :/ 265 x 5 275 x 5 OH Press 125 x 5 x 3 Dropset 115 x 10 BB Shrugs 385 x 10 x 4 EZ Bar press down 75 x 8 x 4 DB Front raise 35 x 6 x 5

With your progress, I'd say that's perfectly attainable. I can't believe that you pull that much more over your body weight. That's insane!

Pulling today. My spirits are a little higher and I've been getting a little more sleep. Sometimes it's necessary to realize that no matter what happens in life it will go on. I did get an internship that I applied for with Natural Resource Management at my school which got me thinking that the Aces in life don't come at the same time. Still working my way to the floor with the blocks Blocks + 15 lb. rubber plate ~3" 135 x 10 x 2 225 x 8 315 x 5 Add belt and suit straps up 365 x 3 405 x 3 455 x 2 495 x 2 All are moving pretty quickly. Three inches was about where I hurt my back a while ago pulling in a suit. This was a good way to break through a mental block. ATG squats 185 x 20 Wide grip pull down 150 x 6 x 4 Standing crunches with heavy band 30 x 4 Medium grip seated rows 150 x 6 x 4

That's what I have been doing in the morning. I'll try switching it up and taking it at night. Thanks for the advice!

I skipped squat night on Friday. I don't feel good about it, but I hadn't slept in about 30 hours at that point and didn't want to risk injuring myself. Everything went pretty smoothly with benching tonight. I just really want to hit 500 in this meet in December. Bar x 15 95 x 12 135 x 10 185 x 5 225 x 3 275 x 1 Add shirt + Madball 385 for 1/2 rep 2 board 435 x 2 x 2 1 board 445 x 2 Leverage row 160 x 8 x 4 OH press 95 x 10 x 4

Thanks for the idea. I already take magnesium in the morning so maybe I'll switch that out and take it at night. I'll try looking at GNC tomorrow to see if they have the other two.

It's equally motivating to see others that are living a similar lifestyle. In terms of body weight to the pounds that you're lifting, you're doing incredible things. I wish that I was as strong in my overhead presses as you are.

Fantastic news about the feature! Is it an interview or a profile?

Dynamic bench. Going through some things now and I have a lot on my mind. As a consequence of my overactive mind, I have a tendency to not eat as much. Skipped three meals so far today. Gym time isn't really helping me out at all, but the last thing I need is an excuse not to do something that I've worked so hard to achieve. Keep on keepin' on, I suppose. Bar x 20 x 2 95 x 15 135 x 12 185 x 3 x 2 185 + 40 lbs. chains x 3 x 4 185 + 80 lbs. chains x 3 x 4 Overhead press 115 x 8 x 4 Orange band single arm press down 12 x 4 DB. lat raise 30 x 8 x 4 Doubled average band standing crunches 50 x 2

Abbreviating the range of motion is a good way to work through your weak points. It's the same idea with rack pulls. Since we use an actual competition deadlift bar, pulling in the rack consistently would eventually bend the bar. Right now I'm trying to get used to pulling in a suit. I haven't done since February (maybe March?) and I want to make sure that I'm getting the right form down so I'll be consistently working down the blocks until I get to the floor level. I just don't want to offset my progress by getting overzealous and pulling from the floor too quickly.

2" blocks + 25 lb. plate for a roughly 4" block pull 135 x 10 225 x 5 315 x 3 Added stupid orange suit straps up + belt + Kelly Clarkson 405 x 3 455 x 1 495 x 1 545 x 1 (50 lb. PR) Came up easy, but I'm still apprehensive about getting too wild with the weights Drop set 405 x 5 x 2 T-Row 225 x 6 x 4 Black bands standing crunches 120 Mastadon bar squat 145 x 20

And a back log update from Friday. Squats. I was feeling lazy/ had promised myself that I was going to start training raw more so I didn't fumble around like a big baby on the smith machine trying to get my tight pants on. Buffalo bar Bar x 12 x 2 145 x 10 235 x 5 Add belt + Colin of Arabia 325 x 3 Add wraps 375 x 1 395 x 1 415 x 1 465 x 1 (PR with light bands) Snatch grip speed deadlifts 225 x 5 x 5 Ab work Today, bench Felt really fat and lazy. Probably because I ate half a sleeve of Pringals before going to work out, but that's neither here nor there. Bar x 15 95 x 12 135 x 10 185 x 8 225 x 5 275 x 2 Add shirt + Converge 2 board work 365 x 2 395 x 2 x 2 1 board 425 x 1 This was easy and I hated it. I can't wait to start throwing around more decent weight. For the time being, conditioning is part of an uphill battle to a 500+ pound bench. Took the shirt off, twirled it around my head like a helicopter and then did some pressing off of a 4 board with a close grip 295 x 5 x 3 Orange band pull aparts x 15 x 3 DB rows 125 x 8 x 3 DB hammer curls 45 x 8 x 4 I just fried up some Gardein 'chicken' patties and threw together an Italian sandwich. I ate all four and I'm still hungry. Time to hit the Pringals.

Dynamic bench 185 + 40 lbs. chains x 3 x 4 185 + 80 lbs. chains x 3 x 4 Drop set 185 x 15 DB Lat. raise 25 x 8 x 4 Single arm orange band press down 12 x 4 Orange band behind the head pull apart 15 x 4 Standing crunches 120 Forearm work

Jo gave me his old Jacked suit today. Despite its obnoxious coloring, it seemed to work pretty well. I pulled from blocks (4") again just to try to get used to pulling with the straps up. Everything was easy so I just need to get used to the form and pulling myself toward the bar the right way so that I remain in position and can take advantage of the straps without letting the bar get in front of me. 4" blocks 135 x 10 225 x 10 315 x 10 Add suit, straps up and belt 405 x 3 x 2 455 x 1 495 x 1 I wanted to keep going because of how quickly this came up, but I'm not going to burn myself out or get injured. No rush. Romanian DL 225 x 5 x 5 Bent over cable rows 105 x 8 x 4

Started the routine that Jo set up for me today. Everything is light just to build up some stamina. 8 Weeks out from OBB's Push-Pull. Bar x 12 135 x 10 185 x 8 225 x 5 275 x 2 Add shirt + Madball 2 Board 360 x 3 370 x 3 x 2 Everything went very smoothly and easily so we should be good to move up in percentages pretty quickly. Started with ~75 - 77% of 475. Raw, close-grip work off a 4 board 275 x 5 295 x 5 x 2 45 degree angle wide grip pull downs 135 x 10 x 4 Barbell shrugs 315 x 10, 405 x 10 x 3 Cybex hammer curls 90 x 10 x 4 Rope press downs 75 x 10 x 4

Here's the footage.

Squat night: low box + black foam pad ~1/2" above parallel. Weighed in at 261 today. A pound down, 11 more to go. Mastadon Bar x 12 145 x 10 225 x 5 Add belt 325 x 3 Add suit, straps down 415 x 3 505 x 2 555 x 1 Put the straps up this time. First time since February. 575 x 1 - too easy, time to PR 615 x 1 - also easy, but I won't push my luck. My training partner Brian has the video. I'll post it as soon as he releases it. Stoked to be losing and gaining at the same time. Safety Squat Bar Good Mornings 145 x 5 165 x 5 185 x 5 205 x 5 Standing heavy band crunches 30 x 4

Thank you very much! My diet is a bit frazzled because of the lifestyle that I lead. I eat as much as I can when I can. I don't really have a "typical day" because everything is so frantic between here and there, but I can give you a run down of the basics: My breakfast is the only thing that never varies: Heaping scoop of natural peanut butter, huge serving of oatmeal, and chocolate soy milk. If you haven't tried this, you need to. It's incredibly delicious and unbelievably satisfying. The portion I serve myself is usually about 800 calories or so. I can't stress enough how good of a way this is for me to start my day. I always have almonds and raisins with me. Always. Great source of protein and keep me super energized throughout the day. I'll snack on that at least once. I try to eat a huge salad with spinach, carrots, sunflowers, ginger dressing, walnuts, and whatever else while I'm on campus. Costs about $3.50 and I'm feeling primed for the gym shortly afterward without my appetite being overly satiated. Rice, beans, and corn. I love Mexican food and Tex-Mex so piling up a nice serving that equates to about 1,000+ calories is no problem whatsoever. Peanut butter and jelly whenever I'm at work. Three of them. Very little jelly and LOTS of peanut butter on whole wheat bread. Super cheap and very satisfying I try to avoid getting meat substitutes because they're expensive, but when they go on sale (BoGo, etc) you can catch me clearing the shelf. I'd say these make up roughly 15% of my diet. Truthfully, I just try to eat everything that I can. I'm not vegan, just vegetarian, but for the most part I'm about 80% vegan and this is my diet. I'll have some beers with friends on the weekend while watching some football and eat some pizza, but that's really about the extent of my non-vegan habits. I'd be happy to take on any vegan junk food that anyone has to offer to take the place of these things though!

I try not to let excuses get in the way, but my lifestyle is pretty demanding as it stands. All upper level science classes, studying for the GRE, work part time, internship, training, and trying to spend enough time with the lady friend is a bit daunting. I'm glad to hear that you've had success with doing it back to back like that. Gives me a lot of hope for being able to compete back to back like that. Thanks for the insight!

Today's gym experience was odd. There was a power surge and the power cut out causing the radio to reset and the rest of my workout was done in silence until my last set when I put my headphones in and listened to Taylor Swift's "The Story of Us." Taylor Swift is a MUST for max gains. Again with the Average (EliteFTS) bands. I hate using these because of the ridiculous amount of weight that they take off, but it's what I have at the moment. Bar x 20 95 x 12 135 x 10 185 x 8 225 x 5 Add reverse bands/ wrist wraps 275 x 3 325 x 3 x 3 345 x 3 x 3 Add Taylor 365 x 3 x 1 Bailed on the last two sets because something didn't feel right. I regret doing this because the rest of the workout went very smoothly. Had I not done that though, I can guarantee I would have gotten hurt. Fat Bar OH Press 135 x 5 x 5 EZ Bar press down 75 x 10 x 5 Fat Bar front raises 35 x 10 x 4 Jo agreed to help me lay out a plan for doing the Bench Only segment of the meet in December. Pretty stoked to get some advice from someone so knowledgeable about the sport.

Pulling from blocks + stacked foam pads. This is roughly 3 1/2" off the floor. Pulling off of the foam is great because it ensures that I don't bounce the weight. 135 x 10 225 x 8 315 x 3 Add belt + Tool 365 x 3 405 x 3 465 x 2 Video Speed pulls 315 x 3 x 5 Speed squats 1" below parallel with safety squat bar onto a box 145 + Black Onyx (EliteFTS' bands that add about ~180-190 at the top) x 2 x 6 DB Rows 70 x 20 x 3 Strong band standing crunches 30 x 4 Underhand, close-grip pull downs 120 x 10 x 4 I have two possible meets that are coming up. I'm thinking I want to do a Push-Pull AAPF meet this December but do bench only. I just want some more medals to hang on my walls and I'm getting antsy about competing. However, I'd also like to do another meet full power in February. The Push-Pull is just a fun thing that my training partner and friend Brian Schwab (EliteFTS.com) puts on at his gym once a year. I think it'd be a low stress way of really trying to gauge where I am with my benching. The people that I've talked to say that 475 shouldn't be any problem at all, and I think they're right after it flew up off of a one board a few weeks ago. My only concern is doing two meets so close together. I'm going to talk to Brian and other training partner Jo Jordan (also EliteFTS.com) and see what they think about it. We'll see!

Dynamic bench day. We have a power rack at our gym that comes equipped with band pegs, but unfortunately the bands that I wanted to use were kind of shredded so I had to opt for something heavier than I would normally like to go. Grey bands take off about 135 lbs. at the bottom and about 70 at lockout so none of this is really all that impressive. Bar x 15 95 x 12 135 x 10 185 x 8 Add wrist wraps 225 x 5 Add grey bands 275 x 3 These next sets are done with alternating grips from close grip, regular grip, and wide grip. 315 x 3 x 3 335 x 3 x 3 355 x 3 x 3 375 x 1 (regular grip) Incline bench 185 x 5 x 5 DB Lat. Raise 35 x 8 x 4 Forearm work

They are nice, aren't they? I've watched one of the guys at our facility squat 800 with one and do some 900 lb. rack pulls with it, not a millimeter of flex, and nobody could pile enough weight on one to ever have a need for more room I'm not where near being able to handle that kind of weight... yet. Good to know that I'll have the right equipment for when I am!

To be fair, I'm vegetarian. I've been vegetarian for about eight years now, but am heading toward being more vegan. I don't eat a ton of dairy or eggs now (80% of my meals are vegan), but I'm trying to ween those out. Deadlifts 135 x 8 x 2 225 x 5 x 2 315 x 3 Add belt + Slayer 365 x 3 365 + 40 lbs. chains x 2 365 + 80 lbs. chains x 2 Drop set 315 x 10 Double-banded (orange EliteFTS) narrow rows x 12 x 4 Green band face pulls x 12 x 4 Short session tonight. The gym was crowded and I have a TON of homework and studying to do so I cut it short.

It's basically just a longer, heavier, and thicker bar.