Trib's Journal

tribulus

Not until January! (IDFPA Nats) At the moment I'm looking good for competing at 90 - weighed just that the other day but we'll see in a couple of months, the comp-cycle nearly always pushes the weight up some.

I hate being this small though :mad:

tribulus

DL: 70 x 5, 100 x 4, 120 x 2 x 4, 140 x 4 x 4, belt on 160 x 2 x 3, 170 x 3 x 2, 200 missed x 2.

Bench: 60 x 6, 80 x 6, 90 x 2 x 8, 90 x 6, couple of speed sets.

Face Pulls: 6 x 12
Rear Flyes: 6 x 12

CS Row: 100 x 3 x 8
Lunges: 30kg x 5 x 5
Abs: 3 x 10

A few random chins and other stuff.

I did 16 extra reps of DL's, 14 of which by accident, ooops.
One more day of sheiko. Missing 200 was crap but I've complete confidence in my strength so it's okay. The briefs aren't really made for pulling despite the pop they have.

It's the same with the centy (my briefs are just the bottom half of one) whatever it is about it, but it just won't allow you to set up right, making the lockout hard. That and the thickness of the material makes trying to fire your glutes through like trying to force a golf ball out of your penis. I did see a V-type Squatter in action today though and that is the DL suit for me. Looks very good.

Benching was decent, strength is okay here. Shoulder is rounding after a few reps, which makes me lose a lot of power, but at least I'm aware of it now. The good thing is I can do it painfree.

The rest was juts stuff that needed to be done. I'll get some vids up later

tribulus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6avZ9h6IMTA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sV7A883PmxQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAieW24UDi0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6Cnlm6x1ZI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-g29OD7-S9I

170 x 2
170 x 2
170 x 2
200 x miss
200 x miss

Can't tell too much from the 1st set from the angle other than it was slow.
Set 2, 2nd rep was better and quite quick.
3rd set good too.

200 was all about set up. Couldn't get my back straight, meaning the lockout's always gonna be sh1t.

What I don't like in all of them is that I'm just about keeping my back flat(not in the 200's). My hips are a bit too low as well and I squat it up a bit also.

The briefs make it hard to get into position. I really tried to force myself upright for the PR's but it just locks you in that way. Then with sitting down too low my hips come up too fast(they need to be stronger too though to be honest with myself) and the gear kicks you forward a bit.

It's annoying but my dl is better than it was and i'm sure i'll get some carryover to my conventional as well. Another effect of the dl'ing and upper back work is that my upper back is bigger - which is always a help with squatting and benching!

Geared max squat attempt next week then deload it and the dl while i come up with my plan of attack for the next while on them.

BossArky

Is your back a bit round in the 3rd link?

tribulus

A bit in most of them yeah. Whatever it is about the centurion briefs (the things that look like really tight shorts on me) it's hard to force your back into the right place.

They're designed for wide stance squatting not sumo pulls but of course they can be kinda similiar. Maybe it's the thickness of the material or it's cut but you set yourself up for a tough lockout if your're slightly rounded like that.

Pulling raw though there's no problem for me.

BossArky

Ok, just wondering as I'm trying to get correct form myself. Yesterday at 70kg I almost fell forward towards the end of 3rd set of 5. Haven't video taped myself and wondering if I'm rounding a bit.

tribulus

Brilliant day to be in training today.

Mobility work - various drills, yoga twists, anterior-posterior leg swings, one leg supine bridges, scap push ups etc.

This stopped my hips hurting until the second warm up set. It used to be the first set, so that's progress.

Sq: 60 x 5, 80 x 5, 100 x 2 x 4, belt 120 x 2 x 3, 140 x 6 x 3

DB Press: 70 x 12, 80 x 10, 8
Bench: 90 x 7, 5

Abs: 3 x 10
Face Pulls: 2 x 12
Noses: 10, 8

Curls: 35 x 2 x 10
Lat.raises: 25 x 2 x 12

Happy with the db presses, 40kg bells for 10 will do. My chest strength is as good as always, it's transferring it to a bench that's the tricky part. The 7th rep of 90kg was actually a 5second grinder. I didn't think it was possible to grind a bench of all things for that long but today I learned how to fight a bench. Gassed after that though.

Finally finished sheiko. It would have been harder if I could have benched for it (also would have helped with my chest doms) I was sitting there relatively pleased with myself but f*ck that, there was an entirely different league of lifting going on today.

For a start the WDFPF 100kg junior bench record was nearly broken, that was a showstopper. A guy who was only back squatting 3 weeks and was probably about 82.5kg squatted 170 for 7 with a crappy thin belt, and then there was 2 lads a few weeks out from the NABBA's (or is it RIBBF?) with some serious game faces on. What a day.

tribulus

BossArky wrote:

Ok, just wondering as I'm trying to get correct form myself. Yesterday at 70kg I almost fell forward towards the end of 3rd set of 5. Haven't video taped myself and wondering if I'm rounding a bit.

If you're falling forward the weight isn't on your heels and you're probably not sitting back into it. It's kind of pointless speculation though without a video with a decent angle (from the side)

Hanley

Congratulations on coming thru it!! You've certainly pushed yourself harder than most people ever will.

The benching was really solid considering you've not done any recently. Once you get used to that extra bit of arching you'll be unstoppable.

Today was really an awesome day all round.

tribulus

Gracias sir, and for the help today.

Not a great day today.

Sq: bar x 6, 60 x 6, 90 x 6, 110 x 3, belt on, 125 x 3, 140 x 1, briefs on, 160 x 2, 170 x 2, 180 x 1 wraps on, 190 x 1, 200 x miss

Chins palms away: 8, 8, 6, 6
Face Pulls: 4 x 12

160's were high, 170 lower, 180 in probably but so so ugly, 190 in and my best lift, 200 I can't remember if depth was okay but the spotter touched the bar when I felt I could have grinded it.

There's 2 solutions to this - well one really as it's a solution to everything.

1) Get stronger
2) GROW SOME F*CKING BALLS

I kept doing this weird liitle GM at the *start* of the lift instead of actually getting my hips back. So what happened is I end up squatting down to much/soon, nearly get stapled into the ground, miss the groove and get feck all pop from the gear. Uggh you have to trust the gear ffs. I'll have videos in a while.

One good thing though is i now know how to unknot stiff neck/traps....just stick 200kg on your back lol.
All this was in front of 4 or 5 current, former and soon to be world champs, uuugghh again.

Aw well, I won't dwell on it too much, get stronger, get some more time in gear and i'll laugh at 200 in a few months time.

An example of some lifting going on today:

A sub 82.5kg guy only a month or so away from a BBing competition stiff legging 220 x 6 or so from a deficit.
A 90kg'er raw benching 160 x 5
A 100kg masters lifter pulling 230 for 5 without so much as a belt.

Jeebus.

tribulus

Non-sheiko training day, finished in an hour and 15 minutes, I felt like I was taking the piss lol

Warm-up: cat camel, yoga twist, birddog, windmills, scappushups, push ups, psoterior capsule stretch and others I can't think of.

DL: 70 x 5, 100 x 5, 120 x 5 and we're deloaded

Speed Bench: 65 x 8 x 3

MP: 45 x 8, 50 x 2 x 10

Whey, boring, strict DB Rows: 40kg x 3 x 12
Lat machine that resembles a Chuck V row but I don't know what to call it: 100 x 3 x 8

Lat. raises 25 x 4 x 10
Rear Flyes: 4 x 12
Face Pulls: 3 x 12

Pushdowns: 3 x 15
Hammercurls: 40kg x 2 x 8

Bench was good, very quick which was the main thing and after getting some help from a 180 bencher my arch and overal tightness has improved and amazingly so did the bar speed :eek: :cool: etc.

Can't remember what my PB on MP's are, I think it was 60 x 2 x 8, I'm not too far off that but again my shoulder didn't hurt doing them and that really is the acid test of if it's healed up and old Crapula is working okay.

tribulus

Supposed to squat yesterday but my hips are still wrecked. A week off won't hurt them.

Mobility/warm-up: various.....pushups, dislocates, capsule stretch, cat camel, knee twists, leg swings etc.

Speed Bench: 70 x 8 x 3
MP: 60 x 3 x 5

Chins palsm away: 8, 6, 6
Cable Row: roughly 60, 70 x 12, 80, 90 x 10

Ab rollouts: 3 x 10

Lat.raises: 3 x 10
Face Pulls: 3 x 12

Curls: 2 x 8, 2 x 15
Pushdowns: 3 x 15

Back in UCD today, uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugggghhh, they have new bench covers which are even worse than the other ones. I got pissed off with the slipping and had forgotten my chalk so just mixed some sweat, spit and a tiny bit of water onto the back of my t-shirt, did the job sort of.
Last few sets were very good, other ones just decent. Got myself dug in nicely and found my feet.

MP's were okay, tough this time, no pain though so thumbs up.
Rollouts were evil as always.

tribulus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DhOwXi5UTc

Courtesy of HanleyCore, my squat from last week, I wouldn't copy it.

BossArky

Nice one there.

That squat rack looks slightly dodgy. At the end it looks like it is going to fall over.

tribulus

That rack is an ER rack. It's used in IPF comps and is way better than any commercial rack around. It does look that way but it doesn't fall over easily at all.

tribulus

That's 3 benches in a row, uggh, normal service will resume tomorrow.

Mobility/warmup: the usual, yogat twists, birddog, fire hydrant, scapups, pushups, dislocates etc.

Bench: 60 x 8, 80 x 6, 90 x 6, 100 x 2 x 6

2 or a 1 Board!?: 100 x 6, 105 x 2 x 5

Rear flyes: 4 x 12
NG Facepulls: 4 x 12
Lat. raises: 25 x 2 x 12, 25 x 2 x 10

Cable Row: 60 x 2 x 12, 70 x 2 x 12

Rope pushdowns: something light x 1 x 30

BB Curl: 40 x 2 x 8
DB Curl: 2 x 8

The good bench downstairs was being used as a squat rack so had to use the sh1tty bench and bars upstairs. Luckily the rack height was pretty much spot on for me but the padding was quite soft which didn't help.

Anyway nearly back to old bench strength, probably would have got 100 x 4 or 5 on the last set but I'm a week ahead of schedule (100 x 3 x 6 was supposed to be next week) so didn't want to push it.

Still getting used to board work. Missed the 6th rep on the 105 sets, had the strength but touched too high the first time and too low the second. They'll come along.

Hadn't done a BB curl in months. It's strange, I can bench, OH press do lat.raises, anything like that and my shoulder is fine, one set of the BB curls and it acts up, then the subsequent db curls hurt too. So I'm obviously doing something there. I'll just drop the weight and sort it out.

Good session.

Hanley

Good stuff. Glad you're back on track!

Was there a big crowd in squatting this morning??

You gonna make it in tomorrow morning?? I'm planning some big squats and benches...

tribulus

Yeah, 240 x 2 raw squats from 100kg Masters, the two BB'er lads squatting on the other ER rack, the guy who cleans 60kg DB's was squatting as well, good day to be in.

I won't be in tomorrow having lunch with the in-laws! Are you gearing up? Have to train later on in crunch probably.

Hanley

Nigs.

Yeah I'm working up a bit, 175 4x3 in briefs, then stick on wraps for 190 2x3 I reckon.

I think I'll put on my shirt as well and try 150-160 5x3.

tribulus

Mobility drills: blahblahblah etc.

Mid-shin Rackpull: 60 x 5, 100 x 5, 120 x 5, 140 x 5, belt 150 x 3 x 5
RDL: 140 x 3 x 6

Shrugs: 140 x 3 x 12
Facepulls: 4 x 12

Chins: 2 x 6
DB Row: 30 x 2 x 15

Was supposed to rack pull from just below the knee but the cage i was using had the pinholes too high so just dropeed them onto the ground instead. Was supposed to be in Crunch but got to train in a newly refurbished gaa gym so that was grand.

Rack pulls were supposed to be all beltless but they were just kicking my ass today for some reason so stuck it on for the big sets. Don't know if it was the lower height or sh1tty eating but they were hard.

Similarly I forgot the effect rack pulls would have on RDL's so 140 x 3 x 8 was a bit ambitious.
Then just the usual after that, wrecked.

tribulus

Mobility: the usual

Sq: beltless raw atg shoulder width yada yada

60, 80, 100 x reps, 115 x 4 x 8

Speed pulls: 110 x 8 x 1
Bulgarians: 15kg DB's x 3 x 8

Pullthroughs: 3 x 12
Abs: 2 x 15

Started to do some rolling bridges on the swiss ball but was wrecked.

Something up with the squats, not quite sure what, harder than they should have been but my glutes and hams actually felt involved for the first time, even with a narrow-ish stance. Abductors need to be loosened and adductors need to be strengthened, knees drifting inwards early on the in the sets.

Speed pulls were quick. Getting better at keeping air, mainly because I take it while standing then dip.
Ass DOMS is funny.

Hanley

That's a bit of an improvement on the squats tho isn't it? Was 110 2x8, 1x10 not one of your bests pre-sheiko?

tribulus

Yes and no, I also did 115 x 3 x 8 while training for the IPF's although i was ~94kg then and ~90-91kg now I was hoping for 3 x 10 today but it wasn't going to happen so just added on an extra set.

On hindsight the extra set was probably tougher than doing 3 x 10 lol.

Hanley

Yeah I'd say so!!

tribulus

Mobility: Just some scap push ups, push ups, windmills, posterior capsule stretching, dislocates, no point doing any hip stuff until I could get home and roll them out first.

Speed Bench: 75 x 6 or 7 x 3 lost count

Seated DB Press: 40 x 10, 55 x 10, 65 x 6

Chins palms away: 8, 6, 6, 6
Cable Row: roughly 80 x 12, 95 x 2 x 12

Lat.raises: 3 x 12
Rolling Ex: 2 x 12

Rope pushdown: 1 x 10
Curls: 3 x 12
Facepulls: 4 x 12

People were actually using the squat rack and DL space to squat and DL today! So i didn't ask to work in for MP's and just did seated press instead. Might be a slight PB there, not sure. Last rep was great fun, I think it actually took 7 or 8 seconds to get it locked out.

Can't be arsed converting the ucd DB's to kilo's anymore so just pick ones that look about right for what I want.
Bar speed was good today, felt quicker nearly than last week.

tribulus

Mobility: yoga twists, bent knees twists, leg swings, scap push ups etc.

Mid-shin Rackpull: 70 x 5, 100 x 5, 120 x 5, 140 x 5, belt, 150 x 5, 160 x 5, 170 x 5, 170 x 5
RDL: 60 x 8, 100 x 8, straps, 140 x 2 x 8, 140 x 7

Facepulls: 3 x 15
Curls: 2 x 12

Abs: 2 x 10
Various bridges: 2 sets

Some physio stuff.

Wrecked. Left out shrugs and lats because I need my upper back for tomorrow, traps were kind of wrecked anyway from the pulls. Took about 15 minutes of banging steel poles around to get the rack set the way I want. These were tough, I can feel the weakness in my hams.

RDL's were an improvement. Went down on the 8th rep of the last set and tried to come back up but just kept going down lol.

Felt some ominous tightness in my upper trap which usually means RC pain around the corner so did some physio stuff too. I'm also coming to realise that you need some biceps to pull big. Major stretch in these on the last couple of 170 reps, they were pretty much all out.

Hanley

That's a pretty big jump on the rack pulls isn't it?? Nice one.

tribulus

Ah yeah, bit of aggression into them ya know, 11:30 tomorrow?

tribulus

Mobility work: pretty much all upper stuff today, cut it short a bit because the religious nut started spewing his rhetoric again.

Bench: bar, 60, 70, 80, 90 x reps, 100 x 6, heckling, 105 x 5, 105 x 4
Thick 1 board: 105 x 2 x 5

Cable Row: 70, 80 x 3 x 12
Lat.raises: 25 x 3 x 15, making progress on these

Curls 2 x 10

Facepulls: 4 x 12
ss with
Rope pushdowns: 3 x 12

Full bench is getting better. Shoulders still rolling forward a bit when I strain but it's improving.

Board work felt fine and afaik looked fine too. So the simple answer as to why it's the same as my bench - weak tri's, no need to over analyze it, just get them stronger. I had 2 extremely vascular and pissed off looking bb'ers spotting me on the boards for the second set, kind of scary!

Right now my speed and strength off the chest is pretty decent but my lockout sucks. So I'm thinking of switching things so I speed bench followed by heavy board work on Sundays so I can hit them fairly fresh rather than already fatigued. I think it makes senses while I get my lockout to something respectable, comments?

Other than that a fantastic day to be in, great atmosphere again, always helps get that bit extra out.

Hanley

Yup I think you're right on about doing speed work and then boards. I had been doing heavy full range and boards because my off the chest strength was what was lagging so it needed a bit of extra attention.